ICE tells Kilmar Abrego Garcia he faces deportation to Eswatini

(NewsNation) — The Trump administration has told Kilmar Abrego Garcia he could be deported to the small African country of Eswatini.

A top ICE official told Abrego Garcia's lawyers that the country, formerly known as Swaziland, has replaced Uganda as the country he will be deported to after he stated that he fears persecution or torture in Uganda.

Abrego Garcia has also feared being harmed if deported to at least 22 other countries, the majority of them being in Latin America. In an email to his attorneys obtained by Reuters, the official said Abrego Garcia's claims are "hard to take seriously," but added: "Nonetheless, we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa"

Eswatini is now the fourth country the Trump administration has floated sending Abrego Garcia to after he was mistakenly deported to a Salvadoran prison in March. He was brought back to the U.S. in June and later faced federal smuggling charges. Officials also said he could be sent to Costa Rica.

Federal officials added they could have a legal route to deport him to El Salvador a second time if he opens an asylum case.

Abrego Garcia is currently in ICE custody in Virginia.