Kilmar Abrego Garcia arrives at the US District Court docket District of Maryland, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Greenbelt, Md.
Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
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Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
A federal choose this week canceled the trial of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran man who was mistakenly deported, and scheduled a listening to on whether or not the prosecution is being vindictive in pursuing a human smuggling case in opposition to him.
Abrego Garcia has turn into a centerpiece of the controversy over immigration after the Trump administration deported him in March to a infamous jail in El Salvador. Going through mounting public strain and a courtroom order, the Trump administration introduced him again to the U.S. in June, however solely after issuing an arrest warrant on human smuggling prices in Tennessee.
Abrego Garcia has denied the allegations, and argued that prosecutors are vindictively and selectively concentrating on him. Choose Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr. wrote in Tuesday’s order that Abrego Garcia had sufficient proof to carry a listening to on the subject, which Crenshaw scheduled for Jan. 28.
At that listening to, prosecutors must clarify their reasoning for charging Abrego Garcia, Crenshaw wrote, and in the event that they fail in that, the fees might be dismissed.
When Abrego Garcia was pulled over in 2022, there have been 9 passengers within the automotive, and the officers mentioned amongst themselves their suspicions of smuggling. Nevertheless, Abrego Garcia was finally allowed to proceed driving with solely a warning.
A Division of Homeland Safety agent beforehand testified that he didn’t start investigating the visitors cease till after the U.S. Supreme Court docket mentioned in April that the Trump administration needed to work to convey Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, the place he was deported.
Years earlier, Abrego Garcia had been granted safety from deportation to his residence nation after a choose discovered he confronted hazard there from a gang that focused his household. That order allowed Abrego Garcia, who has an American spouse and baby, to reside and work within the U.S. below Immigration and Customs Enforcement supervision.
Members of President Donald Trump’s administration have accused Abrego Garcia of being a member of the MS-13 gang, however he has vehemently denied the accusations and has no prison report.
Abrego Garcia’s protection lawyer and the U.S. lawyer’s workplace in Nashville didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
