If the government’s deportation plans fail, I plan to cover Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s vindictive prosecution hearing next week, where Todd Blanche might testify.
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It’s reckoning time for the Border Patrol chief who has become the face of the immigration raids in Chicago code-named “Operation Midway Blitz.”
On a Substack Live with my friend and ex-MSNBC colleague Katie Phang, I break down the history of Border Patrol sector chief Greg Bovino and the potential legal hot water he’s facing. Local reporters in California found that he “misled” the public by claiming to have arrested dozens of criminals in immigration raids, when 77 out of 78 had no criminal record. Bovino also accused a decorated U.S. general of potential disloyalty for questioning the need to send the military into MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.
After lobbing two tear gas canisters into a crowd of protesters, Bovino must sit for a five-hour deposition and appear in court on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced plans to try to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia, the fourth African nation they chose for possible deportation. Uganda, Eswatini, and Ghana all refused the U.S. government’s requests to send Abrego there, but Liberia agreed to accept him.
During a hearing today, Abrego’s lawyers announced that their client expressed a credible fear of persecution if sent there. Liberia has not indicated whether Abrego will be detained or free if deported there, or ruled out the possibility of sending Abrego to El Salvador, where a court order blocks his deportation. Abrego consented to being deported to Costa Rica, which agreed to respect his human rights and protect him from further deportation. Citing the Trump administration’s refusal to accept that option, Abrego’s lawyers argue that the government’s goal is punishing their client asserting his rights, more than actually deporting him.
The government wants to deport Abrego by Friday, which could torpedo Abrego’s criminal case days before Todd Blanche may testify at a vindictive prosecution hearing.
The Justice Department filed a motion to quash Blanche’s subpoena.
If the government fails to deport Abrego, or block Blanche’s testimony, the ex-Trump lawyer could take the stand at some point during the two-day proceedings, currently scheduled for Nov. 4 and 5.
Watch the full video of our conversation at the top of this newsletter.
