Judge considers Abrego Garcia request to try to avoid deportation before trial
Share this @internewscast.com

Abrego Garcia became a focal point concerning President Trump’s immigration policies when he, a Salvadoran national, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

GREENBELT, Md. — The Trump administration has not yet determined where Kilmar Abrego Garcia would be deported if he were to be released from a jail in Tennessee, but on Thursday, a U.S. immigration official indicated that Mexico and South Sudan might agree to take in the native of El Salvador.

Thomas Giles, who serves as an assistant director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stated in a federal court in Maryland that ICE plans to take Abrego Garcia into custody immediately upon his release as he faces charges related to human smuggling.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis is considering Abrego Garcia’s request to order the U.S. government to send him to Maryland instead, a bid aimed at preventing the Trump administration from trying to deport him again.

Abrego Garcia became a flashpoint over Republican President Donald Trump’s immigration policies when the Salvadoran national was wrongfully deported to his native country in March. Facing mounting pressure and a U.S. Supreme Court order, the administration returned him last month to face the smuggling charges.

The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee for speeding. Abrego Garcia was driving a vehicle with nine passengers without any luggage, prompting police to suspect human smuggling. However, he was allowed to drive on.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have called the charges “preposterous” and argue that deporting him will deprive him from defending himself at trial. Justice Department attorneys have countered that he’s a danger.

A federal judge in Tennessee could release Abrego Garcia as soon as next Wednesday. A four-hour court hearing in Maryland on Thursday focused on what ICE would do.

Sascha Rand, an attorney for Abrego Garcia, pressed Giles for information about any due process that Abrego Garcia might receive in the U.S. immigration court system. He also asked the ICE official how Abrego Garcia would be treated in a country such as Mexico or South Sudan.

“We’re not going to send people to a country where they’re going to get persecuted or tortured,” Giles said.

Rand asked Giles if Abrego Garcia was persecuted or tortured at the notorious Salvadoran megaprison the Trump administration sent him to in March.

“I don’t know,” Giles said.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers recently alleged in court documents that he was beaten and subjected to psychological torture at the facility. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele denied the allegations.

Rand also asked Giles if Abrego Garcia would be removed without any notice or procedures, to which Giles said “no.” The ICE official said Abrego Garcia could express a fear of going to the country he’s being sent to, which could trigger a review process.

Giles said he assumed someone would immediately have to express that fear.

“We’re talking about minutes or seconds here?” Rand asked.

The person can still get an interview if the fear is expressed before the plane takes off, Giles said. If a “credible fear” is determined, that person will be referred to an immigration judge for a final determination.

Xinis, the judge, briefly brought up the possibility of a 48-hour pause on any attempts to deport Abrego Garcia. However, no agreement was made.

Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, another attorney for Abrego Garcia, told reporters outside the Maryland courtroom that the government wouldn’t agree to a 48-hour pause. The hearing will resume Friday morning.

Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the smuggling charges in Tennessee. A federal judge in Nashville was preparing to release him, determining he was not a flight risk or a danger. But the judge has agreed to keep him behind bars over his legal team’s deportation concerns.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have asked that judge to delay his release until a July 16 court hearing in Nashville to consider a request by prosecutors to revoke Abrego Garcia’s release order while he awaits trial.

When the administration deported Abrego Garcia in March, it violated a U.S. immigration judge’s order in 2019 that shielded Abrego Garcia from being sent to his native country. The immigration judge had determined that Abrego Garcia likely faced persecution by local gangs that had terrorized him and his family.

Abrego Garcia’s wife is suing the administration over his deportation in March and is trying to prevent him from being expelled again. Her lawsuit is being handled by Xinis, the judge in Maryland. Abrego Garcia lived and worked in the state for more than a decade, working construction and raising a family, before he was deported.

The administration claimed that it deported Abrego Garcia because was in the MS-13 gang, although Abrego Garcia wasn’t charged and has repeatedly denied the allegation.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Covers Upper Midwest, Dampening Outdoor Plans

Much of the Upper Midwest faced extensive areas of poor air quality…
Sabu has died: WWE star was 60

David Gergen, who advised four different presidents, passes away at age 83

Gergen worked in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald…
Aurora, Colorado dentist James Craig accused of poisoning wife Angela Craig's protein shakes going on trial for murder

Trial Begins for Aurora Dentist James Craig, Accused of Fatally Poisoning Wife via Protein Shakes

DENVER — Just a few days before her untimely death due to…
Fire-spewing instruments on display in Brooklyn

Fire-Breathing Art Installations Light Up Brooklyn Gallery

Shooting off pyrotechnics at a concert may be nothing new, but a…
Man holding photos of murder suspect, mistakenly identified as suspect.

Travis Decker Doppelgänger Claims He ‘Spent Night Near Murderer’ While Evading Police for Days During Manhunt

A MAN mistaken for accused child killer Travis Decker has spoken out…
Trump announces new tariffs on Mexico, EU to begin Aug. 1

Trump Reveals Upcoming Tariffs on Mexico and the EU Starting August 1

Trump announced the tariffs on two of the United States’ biggest trade…
Parents face possible arrest, steep fines in military town's tough new approach to combat youth crime

Military Town Implements Strict Measures to Tackle Youth Crime, Including Potential Arrests and Fines for Parents

To curb rising youth violence, city leaders in Fayetteville, North Carolina, are…
Woman giving a speech at a podium.

Emotional Scene as Teenage Girl Delivers Tearful Eulogy for Murdered Mother and Stepfather, Leading to Her Being a Prime Suspect

This is the poignant moment when a teenager delivered an emotional funeral…
Rotting toe found in box on Washington beach

Decaying Toe Discovered in Box on Washington Shoreline

A Tacoma, Washington, man found a gift-wrapped severed human toe while celebrating…
2026 midterm elections: What the next election cycle means for Illinois Democratic Party as several Congressional seats open up

Upcoming 2026 Midterm Elections: Impact on Illinois Democratic Party with Multiple Congressional Seats Opening

The political environment in Illinois is poised for a notable transformation with…
President Trump speaking to the press.

Trump Imposes 30% Tariffs on EU and Mexico; Trade Deal Hopes Diminish

DONALD Trump has announced the EU and Mexico are set to face…
Ghislaine Maxwell follows prison fitness routine, video shows, as DOJ's Jeffrey Epstein memo draws heat

Ghislaine Maxwell Seen Adhering to Fitness Routine in Prison, Footage Shows, Amid Controversy Over DOJ’s Jeffrey Epstein Memo

July 2025 – Completion of Review Yields Limited Details The Justice Department…