Posted on 12/11/2025 9:16:33 AM PST by Miami Rebel
A federal judge in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Thursday ordered Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from ICE custody, capping — for now – an extraordinary, 10-month legal fight that has spanned two continents, multiple federal courts, and prompted dozens of hearings in the aftermath of his removal.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered Abrego Garcia released from the ICE Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pa., ruling that the Trump administration had not obtained the final notice of removal order needed to remove him to a third country.
"Since Abrego Garcia’s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority," Xinis said in an order Thursday. "For this reason, the Court will GRANT Abrego Garcia’s Petition for immediate release from ICE custody."
The order comes after Xinis last month used an evidentiary hearing to press the government on whether it had the final order needed to deport Abrego Garcia from the U.S. to a third country, including the list of African nations previously identified by Trump officials.
Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign previously suggested that the immigration judge who ruled in 2019 that Abrego Garcia could not be removed back to his home country of El Salvador had "meant," or implied a final order of removal — a notion Xinis dismissed in her ruling Thursday.
"No such order of removal exists for Abrego Garcia," she said.
The Justice Department is almost certain to appeal her order to a higher court, as Ensign indicated to her in previous hearings.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Roger that!
Just announce he is being released after he gave the feds all the info that he had on the cartels. Also, announce where he is being released and when.
Bk
My head no work today.
Just tired of the stupid game.
These judges should be shamed off the edge of the earth.
We need some kind of judicial reform where judges bear more consequences for bad decisions...especially politically motivated decisions.
Just fly him away on a Military plane, and give him a choice of which country not connected to the US, then take him somewhere else.
Oh, yeah.
He has enough legal help to appeal deportation orders, so no final order until that process plays out. What sucks is that the courts are so backed up because activists have been teaching illegals how to appeal even though it’s hopeless. Delay, deny, defend tactics.
It would be hilarious if Garcia flees, knowing his time is limited and he is unlikely to skate on the federal charges in Tennessee
You either have a disturbing imagination or you've been spying on Lindsey Graham. See Laz for re-orientation.
Ha. The Laz rehab worked already. I’m fine. Just have a spectacularly vibrant imagination.
Yet another judge? How ma y do the narco terrorists control
Trump cannot just disregard federal judges. Unlike Biden why? Because both the RINOs and the dems are just looking for a reason to impeach and convict and remove home. Again unlike Biden there are enough RINOs and dems combined in the Senate to get the votes to remove him. This is just the sad state of the Senate.
Remember impeachment and conviction is a purely political process the constitution is so written that it is purely up to Congress not even the USSC can step into the impeachment process.
Read the actual ruling it shows that the government attorneys could not produce a valid removal order they tried to argue it was implied and this judge said no you must have a valid current and signed final removal order. So this is what DHS and ICE must get from a judge in the district where he resides that would be Maryland’s fed district.
He is still facing felony charges in Tennessee so he is out on bond pending trial for those now that he is inside the USA Tennessee can extradite him and remove his bond of they can argue he is a flight risk otherwise he is out on bond till trial or a fed immigration judge issues a final removal order and then TN could let him be deported by pausing the charges against him they don’t have to drop then just indefinitely postpone trial so if he ever comes back thst just pick up where they left off.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.