A US judge has threatened the Trump administration with contempt for violating a supreme court order after failing to bring home a man illegally deported to El Salvador.

On Wednesday, Washington time, federal judge James Boasberg accused the Trump administration of deporting people from the country before they could challenge it in court.

“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a co-ordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” Boasberg said.

Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported in March for alleged MS-13 gang involvement despite no evidence being provided. The Trump administration has acknowledged that Garcia’s deportation was a mistake.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen travelled to El Salvador Wednesday morning local time and spoke with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa. Van Hollen was denied permission to speak with Garcia and visit the infamous CECOT mega-prison where he is held.

“I asked the Vice President — if Garcia has not committed a crime, and if courts found that he was illegally taken, and the government of El Salvador has found no evidence he was part of MS-13 — then why is El Salvador continuing to hold him?” Van Hollen said.

He said US embassy officials in El Salvador told him they hadn’t received any instructions from the Trump administration to help secure Garcia’s release.

On Monday, El Salvador’s self-proclaimed “coolest dictator”, President Nayib Bukele visited the White House where he told reporters that he couldn’t return Garcia to the US.

“How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States?” he said.

Bukele said that Garcia would not be released within El Salvador.

“We’re not very fond of releasing terrorists.”

Photo: by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement found HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.