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THE VIEW FROM HERE - One huge advantage of being a Centrist is that a centrist gets to judge each individual on the basis of character and each issue on the basis of merit. In a nation polarized by Wokeism and MAGA, both parties are extremists who care nothing about facts or law. Rather, only their narrative matters, where falsehoods are greatly favored over facts. The reason MAGA and Wokers love falsehoods is that they can be tailored to the extremist narratives. In a polarized society, the “Other” is the evil one who must be banished.
What Are the Relevant Facts in the Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia Case?
In 2019, a US courted ordered Garcia not to be deported to El Salvador. On March 15, 2025, The Trump Administration deported him to El Salvador. It matters naught whether Garcia is spawn of Satan or GOD’s emissary on earth. There are no other relevant facts.
The proper inquiry of the district court is what sanctions if any should be imposed on Trump Administration which deported Garcia contrary to the 2019 order. There is no evidence whether the deportation was intentional or by mistake. The Administration’s allegation that it was done by mistake merely sets forth something which the Administration now has to prove by presently admissible evidence. It has failed to do so. Reasonable people may argue that Garcia told ICE that he had a court order which made him non-deportable. They too would have to provide evidence of this likely event after the government has first made a prima facie case that it had no reason to suspect that Garcia was non-deportable to El Salvador.
For reasons which are unclear, the district court has ignored the sole issue in the case – what action the district court should take against the Administration for its sending Garcia to El Salvador. For some reason, the judge ordered that the Trump Administration should “facilitate and effectuate” Garcia’s return to the United States. When her ruling reached the Supreme Court, for reasons which are highly suspect but unknown outside the High Court itself, it changed the district court’s order from “facilitate and effectuate,” to “facilitate or effectuate.” (In law there is a huge difference between “and” and “or.) Chief Justice Roberts’ wording left the Trump Administration the choice whether or not to return Garcia and it chose not to do so. “Facilitate” means “to make easy and less difficult.” Chief Justice Roberts failed to say whose desires were to be facilitated?
Garcia’s? The assumption is that he prefers to be returned to the US.
El Salvador? If El Salvador does not want to return Garcia, then Trump has nothing to facilitate.
Chief Justice Roberts than added what appears to be total extraneously comments. He wrote:
“The District Court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs. For its part, the Government should be prepared to share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps.” Translation of Robert’s Legalese to Trump: “(1) Assert that the district court is violating the separation of powers by interfering foreign policy and (2) assert that the Administration cannot share any information due to some privilege.
If Chief Justice Roberts thought that these words would encourage Trump to end this brouhaha by Trump’s bringing Garcia back to the United States, then Robert is giving Joe Biden a run in the senility race. Rather, Chief Justice Roberts has shown Trump a plethora of excuses how to be as uncooperative as possible and to advance Trump’s goal that he is above the courts. While laymen may not grasp the duplicity in Roberts opinion, many lawyers will. Few attorneys, however, will have the guts to speak up. How this aspect works out remains to be seemed.
Lesson for Us Centrists
Since we Centrists need not support either the MAGA falsehoods or the Woker falsehoods, we can realize that real issue is What sanctions should the Trump Administration suffer for its deportation of Garcia in violation of the 2019 court order?
On the other hand, we can see how The MAGA-Woker polarization is making our nation non-functional. Neither MAGA nor Woker care what sort of vice they promote as they pursue their false narratives. The pursuit of falsehoods is always a vice and both sides should stop pretending that they are virtuous.
(Richard Lee Abrams has been an attorney, a Realtor and community relations consultant as well as a CityWatch contributor. You may email him at [email protected])
