🔗 Share this article Federal Judge Orders Release of Abrego Garcia from ICE Custody A federal judge has ordered the prompt discharge of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from detention by ICE, finding his ongoing confinement is without legal authority. "Since Abrego Garcia's release after wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority," the judge wrote in her ruling. The situation originates in a erroneous removal to El Salvador earlier this year, which US authorities later admitted was an mistake. Following his return to the United States to face alien smuggling allegations, he was detained in immigration detention. In her order, the judge noted that the authorities lacks a valid removal order, which effectively blocks them from deporting Mr. Abrego Garcia "at this juncture." Background of the Legal Challenge The legal proceedings center on disputed assertions. While the Trump administration contends that Abrego Garcia is a affiliate of the MS-13 gang, he categorically disputes this claim. He has also pleaded not guilty to the smuggling counts, which are part of a ongoing criminal case in Tennessee. Terms of Freedom The judge, who was hearing his petition to deportation in a Maryland district court, ruled that he must now adhere to the terms of his bond from jail in Tennessee. This decision shifts his supervision to the jurisdiction handling his criminal case. This decision represents a notable development in a complex legal case involving claims of wrongful detention and contested gang associations.