Judge Orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia Release

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the immediate release of Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention, ruling that he had been detained 'without lawful authority' since his return from a wrongful deportation to El Salvador. Deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia was initially deported to El Salvador in March, despite a 2019 court order preventing his removal due to fear of persecution, after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of MS-13. He was later returned to the United States in June to face human smuggling charges, to which he pleaded not guilty. After being released on bail, he was re-detained by United States — United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Judge Paula Xinis's 31-page order detailed the history of his case, emphasizing the government's lack of a lawful removal order and its misleading claims regarding alternative deportation countries like Costa Rica and Liberia. The United States — United States Department of Homeland Security criticized the ruling as 'judicial activism'.