1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing as a deeply concerned constituent to urge you to take immediate action to ensure compliance with a federal court order demanding the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the United States by no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 7. Mr. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who fled violence and was granted protected status by an immigration judge in 2019, was wrongfully deported to El Salvador by ICE on March 15—despite full knowledge of his legal protections. A federal judge has now ruled this deportation was “without legal basis,” calling it an “illegal act” and a direct violation of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s due process rights under U.S. law. Let me be clear: this was not just a bureaucratic mishap—it was a fundamental failure of the rule of law and a disgraceful denial of due process. As Judge Paula Xinis stated, “Congress said you can’t do it, and you did it anyway.” These are not words spoken lightly. They reflect the grave consequences of disregarding judicial orders, legal precedent, and the constitutional rights of individuals under U.S. protection. Due process is not optional. It is the backbone of our legal system. It ensures that no person—citizen or non-citizen—is punished or removed without fair legal proceedings. When federal agencies ignore court rulings and strip people of their rights without justification, it is your duty as an elected official to speak out and act. I urge you to pressure the relevant federal agencies to comply with the court order and immediately return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States. I also encourage you to support oversight efforts that ensure such violations of due process do not happen again—not in our name, and not under our Constitution. This case is not just about one man and his family—it is about whether we uphold the rule of law for everyone, or allow it to be ignored when it is inconvenient.