US District Judge Paula Xinis ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from ICE custody on Thursday. Though her ruling orders him released, Abrego Garcia will still be held subject to the pre-trial release conditions for his criminal case. This means detention at his home with electronic monitoring, third-party custodianship, and a variety of other measures that greatly restrict his freedom in order to guarantee he appears in court.
“Because Abrego Garcia has been held in ICE detention to effectuate third-country removal absent a lawful removal order, his requested relief is proper,” she wrote in her 31-page opinion.
“Separately, Respondents’ conduct over the past months belie that his detention has been for the basic purpose of effectuating removal, lending further support that Abrego Garcia should be held no longer,” Xinis continued.
Uncertain Future for ‘Maryland Man’ Abrego Garcia
US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Abrego Garcia’s arrest by ICE back in August, calling him “a known MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, wife beater, and child predator.” This is the illegal from El Salvador dubbed “Maryland Man” by the progressive media. Abrego Garcia rejected an offer of a plea deal for human smuggling charges that would have seen him deported to Costa Rica. As result, he was released from jail pending trial, and the government threatened to send him to Uganda – not quite the vacation destination he was initially offered.
