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2.0

Reported: Senior DOJ immigration lawyer placed on indefinite leave after questioning erroneous deportation

  1. Original Date Announced

    April 5, 2025

    CNN reports the acting deputy director of the Department of Justice's Office of Immigration Litigation, Erez Reuveni, was placed on administrative leave after a court hearing involving the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, a Maryland man granted withholding of removal in 2019. Mr. Reuveni's supervisor, August Flentje, was also placed on leave.

    After the suspensions, Attorney General Pam Bondi released statement that, “At my direction, every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States. Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.”

    Trump 2.0 [ID #1667]

    2024.04.05 Reported: DOJ attorney placed on leave after expressing frustration in court with government over mistakenly deported man - CNN
  2. Effective Date

    April 5, 2025

Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Reported
Trump Administration Action: Change in Practice
Agencies Affected: DOJ EOIR

Associated or Derivative Policies

Commentary

  • 2025.05.21 How Trump Officials Debated Handling of the Abrego Garcia Case: ‘Keep Him Where He Is’ - NYT

    The New York Times reports on the internal debates within DHS, DOJ, and DOS surrounding the erroneous deportation of Abrego Garcia. Among other things, emails show that Reuveni was placed on leave, and ultimately fired, after advising the United States to return Abrego Garcia immediately. Reuveni had argued that there was no legal basis for the government to ignore a court order to bring Abrego Garcia back, and that the case could “jeopardiz[e] many far more important initiatives of the current administration.” 

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