India, April 7 -- Erez Reuveni, the lawyer who represented the US government in a lawsuit filed by a Maryland man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador with gang members, has been put on indefinite paid leave.

According to people familiar with the case who spoke to ABC News, the Department of Justice (DOJ) officials reportedly informed Reuveni, the acting deputy director of the Office of Immigration Litigation, that he was being placed on leave due to his "failure to zealously advocate" for the Trump government's interests.

"At my direction, every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States," stated Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement on Saturday. "Any attorney who fails to ...