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Maryland father wrongfully deported to El Salvador is ‘alive and secure’, Trump admin says

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Maryland father wrongfully deported to El Salvador is ‘alive and secure’, Trump admin says


The government provided its first update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s condition and location since being ordered to by Maryland-based judge Paula Xinis on Friday.

A new federal court filing says he is being held at the CECOT prison under the authority of El Salvador.

New Court Filings

On Saturday, the first update was presented by a State Department official, which simply said U.S. leaders in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, are reporting Abrego Garcia is being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), is alive and secure, and detained under the authority of El Salvador.

The U.S. has sent more than 200 Venezuelan men accused of being in gangs to that same prison.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi spoke about this to the press pool last week, defending the Trump Administration.

“We don’t have to charge them with every crime. We can deport them and get them out of our country and save room in our prisons because they should have never been in our country to begin with,” Bondi said.

In their own motion filed Saturday evening, attorneys for Abrego Garcia said the court should order the government to request his release from El Salvador and fly him back to Maryland by Monday.

“We are not going to accept the government’s generic and unsubstantiated assertions that they’re working on this, that they’re considering it, that they’re debating it, that they’re taking steps. We are also going to be insisting that they provide specific, concrete details to the court,” Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, an attorney for Abrego Garcia, said on Friday after court.

Attorneys are now requesting documents, including the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador to house deportees there. Abrego Garcia’s legal team is also pushing the court to hold the government in contempt for failing to comply with previous orders.

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Protests in Owings Mills 

This all comes as protesters in Owings Mills gathered to demonstrate their frustrations not only against Elon Musk but also against Abrego Garcia’s deportation.

Protesters believe the Trump Administration is violating Abrego Garcia’s human and constitutional rights, saying that everyone deserves their day in court.

“Everybody is entitled to due process. If people are here illegally, they need to receive that due process before they are shipped off somewhere,” Stephanie, a protester, said. “When a government starts to target a specific group, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll target additional groups. We’re seeing civil rights be eroded. We’re seeing people be dehumanized, villainized, and it’s not right.”

The protest organizers say they will be out here every Saturday for the foreseeable future.  

In early March, graffiti was found at an Owings Mills Tesla dealership in protest to Musk’s push to cut government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump. 

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These demonstrations, such as the most recent nationwide ‘Hands Off!’ protests, are part of a growing backlash to Musk’s role within the Trump administration.

Friday’s legal battle

Judge Xinis had strong words for the Trump Administration for failing to comply with her original order to return Abrego-Garcia.

“I’m not asking for state secrets,” Judge Paula Xinis told a deputy attorney general at a tense hearing Friday. “…All I know is he’s not here. The government was prohibited from sending him to El Salvador, and now I’m asking a simple question: Where is he?”

Xinis ordered the government to file daily status updates by 5 p.m. She also found the government “failed to comply” with her prior order. 

She was blunt and wrote: 

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“During the hearing, the Court posed straightforward questions, including: Where is Abrego Garcia right now? What steps had Defendants taken to facilitate his return while the Court’s initial order on injunctive relief was in effect (from the afternoon of April 4, 2025, through the morning of April 7, 2025, and since 6:35 PM last night)? Defendants’ counsel responded that he could not answer these questions and at times suggested that Defendants had withheld such information from him. As a result, counsel could not confirm, and thus did not advance any evidence, that Defendants had done anything to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. This remained Defendants’ position even after this Court reminded them that the Supreme Court of the United States expressly affirmed this Court’s authority to require the Government ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s return.”

Abrego Garcia’s case will be back in court on Tuesday. WJZ is expecting another update from the government on his condition on Sunday.

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Severn scratch-off makes player a millionaire as Maryland Lottery pays $31.8M in prizes

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Severn scratch-off makes player a millionaire as Maryland Lottery pays .8M in prizes


A scratch-off ticket sold in Severn turned one Maryland Lottery player into a millionaire, leading a week in which the Lottery paid out more than $31.8 million in prizes statewide.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming said it paid more than $31.8 million in prizes from Feb. 23 through March 1, including 36 tickets worth $10,000 or more.

The top scratch-off prize claimed during that period was a $1 million winning $1,000,000 Crossword ticket sold at the Walmart at 407 George Clauss Boulevard in Severn. Another top winner was a $100,000 Red 5’s Doubler ticket sold at the Carroll Motor Fuel station at 2535 Cleanleigh Drive in Parkville.

Other scratch-off prizes claimed Feb. 23 through March 1 included two $50,000 winners: a 200X the Cash ticket sold at the Wawa at 7501 Pulaski Highway in Rosedale, and a $5,000,000 Luxe ticket sold at the Spring Hill Lake Mini Market at 9240 Spring Hill Lane in Greenbelt. A $30,000 Diamond Bingo 6th Edition ticket was sold at Tempo Lounge at 402 Back River Neck Road in Essex.

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ALSO READ | SUN | Maryland GOP unveils energy plan it says saves customers up to $40 a month

The Lottery also reported three $20,000 scratch-off winners, all on $1,000,000 Crossword tickets sold at Geresbeck’s Food Market at 8489 Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena; Hillandale Beer and Wine at 10117 New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring; and Paddock Wine and Spirits at 7627 Woodbine Road in Woodbine.

The Lottery reminded players to sign the backs of tickets and keep winning tickets in a safe location.

The Lottery said the last dates to claim scratch-off tickets are posted on the scratch-offs page at mdlottery.com.

More information is available at mdlottery.com.

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SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned

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SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned


Advocacy groups are raising concerns over a warehouse in Washington County that is slated to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility after dozens of black SUVs were moved to the warehouse’s parking lot on Sunday.

“When federal enforcement vehicles begin lining the warehouse lot, it sends a clear message about what’s taking shape in our community,” said the organizer of Hagerstown Rapid Response, Claire Connor. “We refuse to let ICE quietly plant roots in Washington County without transparency, accountability and community consent.”

The 825,620-square-foot warehouse is located at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport. Access to the facility was blocked by orange traffic barriers and signs outlining regulations and “governing conduct on federal property” with the Department of Homeland Security emblem at the top of the page.

In late January, Washington County issued a news release stating that on Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to the county’s historic district commission and department of planning and zoning regarding the property.

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Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun’s website.



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Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia

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Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia


An adult man was killed in a police-involved shooting in Columbia early Sunday, prompting an investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division.

Howard County police said officers were called on March 1, at about 12:09 a.m., to an apartment building in the 6400 block of Freetown Road for a report that involved an adult male threatening to harm himself.

According to police, at about 12:22 a.m., officers encountered the man outside the building. The man approached officers while holding a knife and ignored commands to drop the weapon, police said. Officers then shot the man.

ALSO READ | Gas leak explosion, fire in Prince George’s County leaves 1 injured

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Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officersrecovered a knife near the man.

No officers were injured, and the officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.

The Independent Investigations Division is investigating.

Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576–7070 or by email atIID@oag.maryland.gov.

The IID willgenerally releasethe name of the decedent and any involved officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary,pursuant toIID protocol.

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TheIID willgenerally releasebody-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.



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