A Man's Fight Against Deportation and Unfair Charges

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is in a tough spot. The Justice Department wants to try him for smuggling in Tennessee before sending him out of the country. A judge there said he could be free while waiting for his trial, but she's keeping him locked up for a few more days. Why? Because immigration officials might try to deport him right away. The Justice Department says Abrego Garcia did terrible things, like trafficking children, and won't let him go free. But his lawyers say the charges are just an excuse for his wrongful deportation to El Salvador earlier this year. He was sent back to the U. S. recently to face these charges, which he denies. Abrego Garcia has been living in Maryland with his American wife and kids for over ten years. His lawyers are worried the government might try to deport him quickly, maybe even over the weekend. They asked a federal judge in Maryland to make sure he stays in the state until his trial. The judge couldn't act as fast as they wanted, though. She has to look at the government's requests to dismiss the case first. The Trump administration says they made a mistake when they deported Abrego Garcia. They claim he's in the MS-13 gang, but he says he's not. The charges against him come from a traffic stop in Tennessee where he was driving with nine passengers and no luggage. A judge in Tennessee said prosecutors didn't show that Abrego Garcia is a flight risk or danger to the community. She set conditions for his release, like living with his U. S. citizen brother in Maryland. But she's waiting to see what lawyers and prosecutors say before making a final decision.