Trump Asks Supreme Court to Block Order Requiring U.S. to Return Deported American to El Salvador
Washington, D.C. — April 7, 2025 — In a stunning legal twist that has drawn outrage from human rights advocates and constitutional scholars alike, former President Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to block a federal court order mandating the government to return a man mistakenly deported to El Salvador—despite growing evidence that he is, in fact, a U.S. citizen.
The man at the center of the controversy, 37-year-old Daniel Martinez, was deported in 2023 during Trump’s renewed crackdown on undocumented immigrants. However, subsequent investigations revealed that Martinez was born in Texas and had been wrongfully removed due to a bureaucratic error in his birth record and a lack of legal representation during expedited proceedings.
In a sharply worded filing submitted Monday morning, attorneys representing Trump argued that the executive branch “must retain ultimate discretion over immigration enforcement,” and that “repatriating Martinez now would undermine the integrity of lawful removals.” Legal observers were stunned by the request, as Martinez’s citizenship status is no longer disputed by federal agencies.
“This is one of the most outrageous and chilling legal maneuvers I’ve seen in decades,” said former federal judge Maryanne Keller. “We’re not talking about a legal gray area—this is a U.S.-born citizen who was deported by mistake, and the former president is now fighting to keep him out of his own country.”
Critics say Trump’s motivation may be politically charged. Sources close to the former administration claim the move is intended to reinforce his tough-on-immigration image ahead of the 2026 midterms, even if it comes at the expense of constitutional rights. Civil rights groups have called it a gross abuse of power and a direct challenge to due process.
The ACLU and National Immigration Justice Center, representing Martinez, have filed an emergency motion urging the Supreme Court to reject Trump’s appeal, arguing that allowing the deportation to stand would set a dangerous precedent. “If the government can strip a citizen of their rights and exile them without consequence, the foundation of democracy collapses,” their statement read.
Meanwhile, Martinez remains in a rural town outside San Salvador, living in poverty and facing routine threats from local gangs. “I did nothing wrong. I was born in America. I want to go home,” he told reporters via video call. His mother, who still resides in Texas, has pleaded with authorities to bring her son back safely. “They took my boy like he was disposable. He’s not. He’s American.”
The Supreme Court is expected to decide within days whether to take up the case. If they grant Trump’s request, it could spark a constitutional crisis over citizenship rights, executive overreach, and the limits of immigration enforcement. As the legal battle intensifies, millions are watching—and many are asking: If it can happen to him, who’s next?
