A U.S. judge has ruled for the immediate release of Kilmar Ábrego García, a case that gained attention in President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts. The judge found that the government lacked a formal deportation order for Ábrego García, leading to his release from an ICE facility in Pennsylvania. Despite prior statements from Trump officials, Ábrego García can temporarily return home in Maryland.
The saga unfolded in March when Ábrego García was wrongly deported to El Salvador and then brought back to the U.S. in June to face human smuggling charges. This case symbolizes the administration’s strict stance on immigration, with critics accusing officials of disregarding legal rights in the pursuit of deporting undocumented individuals.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt indicated that the Trump administration plans to appeal the judge’s decision. On the other hand, one of Ábrego García’s attorneys hailed the ruling, emphasizing its significance in upholding due process and the rule of law.
The judge’s decision was partly based on the absence of a formal deportation order issued by an immigration judge in 2019, which deemed the continued detention of Ábrego García unlawful. Despite ongoing efforts by the administration to deport him again, Ábrego García’s legal team proposed his deportation to Costa Rica, a country where he had been granted refugee status before.
Ábrego García, a sheet metal worker living in Maryland with his family, was arrested by ICE and sent to a notorious Salvadoran prison known for its harsh conditions. He faces charges related to assisting in the transportation of undocumented migrants in the U.S. The judge overseeing his case expressed concerns about the prosecution’s motives, suggesting a retaliatory aspect against Ábrego García for challenging his initial deportation.
While Ábrego García awaits further legal proceedings, he will be subject to specific release conditions, including home detention and electronic monitoring.