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July 24, 2025

Federal Judge Rules Kilmar Abrego Garcia Should Be Freed from Criminal Detention
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A federal judge in Tennessee ruled Wednesday that Kilmar Abrego Garcia
should be freed from criminal detention while awaiting trial on what
advocates say are trumped-up federal human smuggling charges. However,
Abrego Garcia will remain behind bars for at least 30 more days, at the
request of his lawyers, who fear the Trump administration might seek to
quickly remove him from the U.S. once he's released.

Separately, a federal judge ordered that Abrego García should be
returned to his home state of Maryland, where he would be granted at
least three days' advance notice of any attempt to deport him again. The
Trump administration has admitted it wrongfully sent Abrego Garcia to El
Salvador's notorious CECOT prison in March, where his attorneys say he
was brutally beaten and tortured.


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