Federal Appeals Court Orders Trump Administration to Return Jordin Melgar-Salmeron, Fourth Wrongful Deportation Since May 7

A federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Jordin Alexander Melgar-Salmeron, a Salvadoran national who was deported to El Salvador on May 7, 2025, just 30 minutes after the court issued an order blocking his removal. This deportation was deemed an "inadvertent" and "improper" government error, violating the court's directive. The ruling marks the fourth time since March 2025 that federal courts have mandated the Trump administration to return immigrants who were wrongfully deported. The 2nd Circuit Court cited a Supreme Court decision supporting the return of a Maryland man previously deported to a Salvadoran prison, reinforcing the legal obligation to comply with judicial orders. The court has also required the administration to explain how it will comply with the ruling, aiming to address a pattern of apparent government defiance of judicial mandates.