Trump to meet with El Salvadoran President on Monday amid ongoing battle over mistakenly deported father

Trump, who told reporters on Friday that he would comply with the Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of the mistakenly deported Maryland father, is now stating that the migrants deported under the Alien Enemies Act are under the sovereign authority of the El Salvadoran government

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday amid an ongoing battle within the federal courts regarding a mistakenly deported Maryland father — whom Trump now claims he does not have the authority to return to the United States, contradicting earlier statements.

Bukele has played a central role in the administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, accepting more than 250 Venezuelan migrants to his notorious Terrorist Confinement Center or CECOT. The Trump administration deported these migrants under a seldomly used 18th-century law known as the Alien Enemies Act — which affords the executive branch the authority to deport those deemed enemies of the state during times of war.

The administration asserts that those deported are members of violent South American gangs such as MS-13 and Tren De Aragua. However, an analysis by CBS News' 60 Minutes revealed that 75% of those sent to the El Salvadoran mega-prison have no criminal record.

"Looking forward to seeing President Bukele of El Salvador on Monday! Our Nations are working closely together to eradicate terrorist organizations and build a future of Prosperity," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

"President Bukele has graciously accepted into his Nation’s custody some of the most violent alien enemies of the World and, in particular, the United States. These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!" the post read.

Bukele's visit comes after a week of turmoil within the federal judiciary as the Supreme Court ordered the administration to facilitate the return of a Maryland father the government admitted was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

On Friday, a federal judge hammered a government lawyer who claimed they couldn't provide any concrete evidence that the Trump administration is working to comply with the Supreme Court's order.

The U.S. government attorney also could not provide any evidence regarding the whereabouts of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, despite Thursday's ruling by the high court.

“Where is he, and under whose authority?” U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis asked in a Maryland courtroom.

“I’m not asking for state secrets,” she said. “All I know is that he’s not here. The government was prohibited from sending him to El Salvador, and now I’m asking a very simple question: Where is he?”

Drew Ensign, a deputy assistant attorney general, said the government doesn’t have evidence to contradict the belief that Abrego Garcia is still in El Salvador.

Xinis expressed frustration that Ensign couldn’t provide details about Abrego Garcia's whereabouts, the government's efforts for his return, or any further plans to bring him back to the U.S.

“That is extremely troubling,” she responded.

The judge repeatedly asked Ensign about what had been done, asking pointedly: “Have they done anything?” — to which Ensign said he didn’t have personal knowledge of the situation.

While taking questions aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump told reporters that if the Supreme Court ordered the administration to return Abrego Garcia, he would comply with the order.

"If the Supreme Court said bring somebody back, I would do that," Trump told reporters. "I respect the Supreme Court."

With Trump's latest TruthSocial post, the president has contradicted himself, emphasizing that the government does not have the authority to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S.

"These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation," Trump said, referring to the migrants deported.

The administration appeared to deepen its standoff with the federal judge on Saturday, ignoring the judge's order to provide a plan to return him to the U.S.

A State Department official stated in a court filing on Saturday that Abrego Garcia is being held in the Terrorist Confinement Center, citing details from the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador.

Trump's post on TruthSocial appeared to echo nearly verbatim what was stated in Saturday's court filings, claiming that the administration does not have the power to reinstate Abrego Garcia.

"He [Abrego Garcia] is detained pursuant to the sovereign, domestic authority of El Salvador," The State Department filing stated, mirroring precisely what Trump claimed in his post.

Lawyers for Abrego Garcia presented their own court filings on Saturday, arguing that the administration should be forced to provide federal government witnesses capable of offering specific details about his status at a hearing on Tuesday.

They added in their filing that the government should be required to show by Monday why it “should not be held in contempt due to its failure to comply with the court’s prior orders.”