Federal judge in Maryland orders Abrego Garcia's immediate release from ICE custody

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2. Federal judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garca's 'immediate release'

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said the government could not indefinitely detain Abrego, a 30-year-old immigrant from El Salvador who is fighting his deportation.

Federal judge orders Kilmar Abrego García’s ‘immediate release’ via @washingtonpost.com

— Julio Ricardo Varela (@juliorvarela.com) 2025-12-11T15:53:20.529Z

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/12/11/trump-abrego-release-deportation

A federal judge in Maryland ordered the “immediate release” of Kilmar Abrego García from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, saying Justice Department attorneys “misled” the court at a hearing last month.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said she ordered his release in part to ensure that he had a fair immigration process after the Justice Department and an ICE witness last month said immigration officers had no option but to deport him to the African nation of Liberia because the Central American country of Costa Rica was no longer willing to offer Abrego refuge.

The judge cited reporting by The Washington Post and ABC that found that Costa Rica had “never wavered” in its commitment to accept Abrego. She was also the judge who first ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Abrego to the United States after immigration officers illegally deported him to a notorious prison in his native El Salvador.

“Since Abrego Garcia’s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority,” Xinis wrote. “For this reason, the Court will grant Abrego Garcia’s Petition for immediate release from ICE custody.”