NEWS. AND WE BEGIN WITH THAT BREAKING NEWS. KILMER. ABREGO. GARCIA HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM A TENNESSEE PRISON AND IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO MARYLAND. ABREGO GARCIA HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN EVER SINCE HE WAS MISTAKENLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN JUNE, ONLY TO SPEND A MAJORITY OF THE SUMMER IN FEDERAL CUSTODY. AFTER A GRAND JURY INDICTED HIM ON HUMAN SMUGGLING CHARGES. HIS ATTORNEYS FOUGHT TO KEEP HIM IN CUSTODY FOR THE LAST 30 DAYS. AFTER HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIALS THREATENED TO DETAIN AND DEPORT HIM AGAIN. UPON HIS RELEASE. PREVIOUS FEDER

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was released from jail in Tennessee on Friday so he can rejoin his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges. Although Abrego Garcia was deemed eligible for pretrial release, he had remained in jail at the request of his attorneys, who feared the Republican administration could try to immediately deport him again if he were freed. Those fears were somewhat allayed by a recent ruling in a separate case, which requires immigration officials to allow Abrego Garcia time to mount a challenge to any deportation order. Video above: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s attorneys want smuggling charges droppedAbrego Garcia was accidentally deported “because of an administrative error,” and was sent to El Salvador.After initially saying it was unable to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, the U.S. government brought Abrego Garcia back to the country to face smuggling charges.Abrego Garcia’s release comes days after his defense team called for the smuggling charges against him to be dropped, saying it is a case of “vindictive prosecution.”The attorneys alleged the government indicted him to punish him for challenging his deportation.The smuggling case stems from a 2022 traffic stop, when a Tennessee highway patrolman stopped his car for speeding and suspected human trafficking. Abrego Garcia was not charged at that time.The Salvadoran national’s case became a flashpoint in President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda after he was mistakenly deported in March. Facing a court order, the Trump administration brought him back to the U.S. in June, only to detain him on criminal charges.Abrego Garcia, who had been held at the jail facility in Putnam County, Tennessee, has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally. In 2019, an immigration judge denied his application for asylum but granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador, where he faces a “well-founded fear” of violence, according to court filings. He was required to check in yearly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement while Homeland Security issued him a work permit.Although Abrego Garcia can’t be deported to El Salvador without violating the judge’s order, Homeland Security officials have said they plan to deport him to an unnamed third country.In a statement, Sean Hecker, Abrego Garcia’s attorney, said: “Today, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is free. He is presently en route to his family in Maryland, after being unlawfully arrested and deported, and then imprisoned, all because of the government’s vindictive attack on a man who had the courage to fight back against the Administration’s continuing assault on the rule of law. He is grateful that his access to American courts has provided meaningful due process.”Maryland leaders react to Abrego Garcia’s returnIn a statement, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said:”Every person is afforded their right to due process by the Constitution, and from the start, we’ve asked that due process be followed — meaning everyone receives proper notice of the allegations against them and has an opportunity to be heard.”This was never about one person, but about the laws that govern all people in our country. Several courts have made decisions in this case, and we expect the Trump administration to follow those decisions.”U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said: “Despite the Trump Administration’s relentless efforts to defy our Constitution, our legal system has worked its will and is upholding Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s right to due process. Following the court’s ruling, I’m glad that he is being returned to his home and his family, where he rightly belongs. While I have no doubt the Administration will continue its attempts to undermine Mr. Abrego Garcia’s rights, we will continue fighting to see them maintained – because due process in this case does not end with his release. Mr. Abrego Garcia must continue to be allowed to defend himself in court, where the Trump Administration must make its case before taking any further action against him. This is a matter that’s greater than just this one case or one man – if one person’s rights are denied, then the rights of all of us are at risk.”In a statement, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Maryland, said: We are a nation of laws, and this President would do well to remember that. Kilmar Abrego Garcia will finally be afforded due process despite this Administration’s attempts to circumvent our legal system. This case is bigger than one individual, and I will continue to fight to uphold the rule of law.”

BALTIMORE —

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was released from jail in Tennessee on Friday so he can rejoin his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges.

Although Abrego Garcia was deemed eligible for pretrial release, he had remained in jail at the request of his attorneys, who feared the Republican administration could try to immediately deport him again if he were freed. Those fears were somewhat allayed by a recent ruling in a separate case, which requires immigration officials to allow Abrego Garcia time to mount a challenge to any deportation order.

Video above: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s attorneys want smuggling charges dropped

Abrego Garcia was accidentally deported “because of an administrative error,” and was sent to El Salvador.

After initially saying it was unable to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, the U.S. government brought Abrego Garcia back to the country to face smuggling charges.

Abrego Garcia’s release comes days after his defense team called for the smuggling charges against him to be dropped, saying it is a case of “vindictive prosecution.”

The attorneys alleged the government indicted him to punish him for challenging his deportation.

The smuggling case stems from a 2022 traffic stop, when a Tennessee highway patrolman stopped his car for speeding and suspected human trafficking. Abrego Garcia was not charged at that time.

The Salvadoran national’s case became a flashpoint in President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda after he was mistakenly deported in March. Facing a court order, the Trump administration brought him back to the U.S. in June, only to detain him on criminal charges.

Abrego Garcia, who had been held at the jail facility in Putnam County, Tennessee, has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally. In 2019, an immigration judge denied his application for asylum but granted him protection from being deported back to El Salvador, where he faces a “well-founded fear” of violence, according to court filings. He was required to check in yearly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement while Homeland Security issued him a work permit.

Although Abrego Garcia can’t be deported to El Salvador without violating the judge’s order, Homeland Security officials have said they plan to deport him to an unnamed third country.

In a statement, Sean Hecker, Abrego Garcia’s attorney, said: “Today, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is free. He is presently en route to his family in Maryland, after being unlawfully arrested and deported, and then imprisoned, all because of the government’s vindictive attack on a man who had the courage to fight back against the Administration’s continuing assault on the rule of law. He is grateful that his access to American courts has provided meaningful due process.”

Maryland leaders react to Abrego Garcia’s return

In a statement, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said:

“Every person is afforded their right to due process by the Constitution, and from the start, we’ve asked that due process be followed — meaning everyone receives proper notice of the allegations against them and has an opportunity to be heard.”This was never about one person, but about the laws that govern all people in our country. Several courts have made decisions in this case, and we expect the Trump administration to follow those decisions.”

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said: “Despite the Trump Administration’s relentless efforts to defy our Constitution, our legal system has worked its will and is upholding Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s right to due process. Following the court’s ruling, I’m glad that he is being returned to his home and his family, where he rightly belongs. While I have no doubt the Administration will continue its attempts to undermine Mr. Abrego Garcia’s rights, we will continue fighting to see them maintained – because due process in this case does not end with his release. Mr. Abrego Garcia must continue to be allowed to defend himself in court, where the Trump Administration must make its case before taking any further action against him. This is a matter that’s greater than just this one case or one man – if one person’s rights are denied, then the rights of all of us are at risk.”

In a statement, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Maryland, said: We are a nation of laws, and this President would do well to remember that. Kilmar Abrego Garcia will finally be afforded due process despite this Administration’s attempts to circumvent our legal system. This case is bigger than one individual, and I will continue to fight to uphold the rule of law.”