Kilmer Abrego Garcia has spoken out for the first time since he was wrongly deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration, then sent back to the United States to face criminal charges of human smuggling.

New video showed the Maryland man being reunited with his family after his release from federal custody Friday. He used the opportunity to thank those who helped him through the ordeal.

My name is Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Today is a very special day because, thank God, I’ve returned to my family after more than 160 days. And I’d like to thank all the people who have been supporting me because after so much time, I’m realizing that many people have been on my side with positive things, and I’m grateful to these people, to everyone at home, to the people at Smart Local 100 where I work. Thank you to the pastors, male and female, and to all the churches that have been in prayer with me. Thank you for everything, because today, God has heard us, and thank you, thank you, because I’m out.

Gary Grumbach with NBC News reported that on Monday morning, Abrego Garcia must report to an ICE office in Baltimore “where we do expect he will be taken into custody.”

Going forward, Grumbach said the Trump administration has given Abrego Garcia two options.

“Option one is to plead guilty to the human smuggling charges against him, the two charges against him in Tennessee, those are federal criminal charges. Then he would serve the sentence here in the U.S., and then be deported to Costa Rica, where he would be able to walk free, according to Costa Rican officials.

“Option two is he would be taken into custody on Monday by immigration enforcement officials and be immediately deported to Uganda. We do not have an understanding of once he would get to Uganda, whether or not he would actually remain in custody of Uganda officials or American officials there.”

The New York Times reported that Abrego Garcia’s lawyers filed a motion in federal court Saturday, writing, “There can be only one interpretation of these events. The D.O.J., D.H.S., and ICE are using their collective powers to force Mr. Abrego to choose between a guilty plea followed by relative safety, or rendition to Uganda, where his safety and liberty would be under threat.”

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.

The post ‘God Has Heard Us’: Kilmar Abrego Garcia Speaks Out For First Time Since Release first appeared on Mediaite.

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