Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) warned Thursday that “extraordinary action” would be necessary if President Donald Trump disobeys a Supreme Court order regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Schumer made the comments during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Chris Jansing Reports.”
Host Chris Jansing asked Schumer about the administration’s refusal so far to return Garcia to the United States after the Supreme Court ruled that the government must facilitate his return following what was described as a mistaken deportation to El Salvador.
Jansing asked, “The Supreme Court said the administration must facilitate the return of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. That has not happened. Are we at the point, Senator, where you feel extraordinary action is warranted?”
Schumer responded, “Look, the case will be back to the Supreme Court, they sent it down to the lower court judge. But if the president disobeys a Supreme Court order, extraordinary action will be necessary. We’ve never had that in the Republic before, in the kind of way that the president is doing it. And again, he doesn’t believe in democracy. He doesn’t believe there should be diversity of opinion. He doesn’t believe in due process. You can’t pick up someone off the streets and send them somewhere if you don’t have evidence, if you haven’t presented evidence against them, the country, the democracy is at risk.”
The Supreme Court had previously ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member. Trump officials have indicated they will not pressure El Salvador to return him, arguing they cannot force a foreign nation to comply with a U.S. court ruling.
Schumer emphasized the stakes if Trump ignores a final Supreme Court decision.
“If the Supreme Court makes a final decision and Trump decides to disobey it, and it will be on all of us, not just the political leaders, but certainly us, but on all Americans to resist that. I think that would happen,” Schumer said.
The Trump administration deported Garcia under the Alien Enemies Act, citing his alleged ties to MS-13 and human trafficking. White House officials have defended the deportation, arguing Garcia was a threat to public safety and that he was lawfully removed.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Emily Newman recently stated, “The United States cannot compel a sovereign nation to return a deported alien. We have facilitated every step required under U.S. law.”
Meanwhile, Democrats have portrayed Garcia as a victim of Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics. Schumer’s comments reflect a broader strategy by Democrats to frame Trump as defying the rule of law and democratic norms.
If Trump ultimately refuses to comply with a final Supreme Court decision, the situation could trigger a significant constitutional clash, though what specific “extraordinary action” might entail remains unclear.
The legal battle over Abrego Garcia’s deportation is part of a larger political fight over Trump’s immigration policies, which have included mass deportations, tightened asylum rules, and moves to end automatic birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.
The Supreme Court’s final ruling on the matter is still pending, and both sides are closely watching what will happen if the administration continues to refuse to return Garcia to the United States.
