Court Delays Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release from federal custody
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Wrongfully removed to El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia has much experience in the U.S. courts. The Supreme Court ordered the U.S. government to facilitate his return from El Salvador. After languishing in Salvadoran prison for several months, Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States only to be charged with human trafficking and in federal custody. He is seeking his release and the federal courts seem to be playing some kind of game of tag.
and magistrate judge [today] paused Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release from federal custody, shortly after a separate judge ruled that the man . . . should be released while he awaits trial on human smuggling charges. . . . Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes in the Middle District of Tennessee ordered Abrego’s release from federal custody paused for 30 days, or until further court order. . . . It followed back-to-back rulings from U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw in Nashville, Tennessee, and Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland that ordered Abrego’s release and blocked his detention by immigration authorities in Tennessee.”
The story reports that both sides supported the “pause” of the release. The U.S. government can appeal the release and Abrego Garcia can seek further relief (perhaps assurances that the Trump administration will not seek his removal from the country).
KJ