The Trump administration suffered yet another legal defeat in its sweeping mass deportation campaign when a judge ordered the "immediate release" of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
The Maryland husband and father was swept up by federal agents earlier this year and sent to the notorious CECOT megaprison in his native El Salvador, where he feared being targeted by gang violence, but a federal judge on Thursday ruled that the administration's efforts to prevent his repatriation were illegal.
"Since Abrego Garcia’s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority," wrote U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis. "For this reason, the Court will grant Abrego Garcia’s Petition for immediate release from ICE custody."
The Trump administration has argued they had no jurisdiction to repatriate him but finally caved to public pressure and brought him back to the U.S., only to immediately detain him, slap him with criminal charges, and start the process to deport him to a third country not subject to the court order.
Abrego has consistently denied any criminal activity or gang affiliations.
