A federal judge in Maryland on Monday temporarily halted the Trump administration from deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador–born suspect accused of MS-13 membership and charged with human smuggling.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents took Abrego Garcia into custody Monday after he reported to a Baltimore ICE office, with plans to remove him from the United States.
He doesn’t belong here.
He won’t be staying here.
America is a safer nation without this MS-13 Gangbanger in it.Good riddance. pic.twitter.com/ecldKZvuw3
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 26, 2025
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Later that day, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered the administration to pause any removal, according to multiple media outlets.
Federal immigration authorities are “absolutely forbidden at this juncture to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the continental United States,” Xinis said, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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The judge, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said she would first hear additional arguments from the parties.
The order is the latest development in a case that has drawn sustained attention to Abrego Garcia’s immigration history and criminal charges.
ICE first deported Abrego Garcia in March to El Salvador, where he briefly stayed at the CECOT mega-prison.
After it became public that he had previously been granted a withholding of removal order prohibiting removal to El Salvador, Democrats called for his return to face proceedings in the United States.
The Trump White House facilitated his return in June so he could face human smuggling charges.
A grand jury indictment alleges that over nearly a decade Abrego Garcia made more than 100 trips across the United States, transporting illegal migrants, drugs, and guns.
During his stay at CECOT, past accusations by Maryland law enforcement of alleged MS-13 membership and repeated allegations of domestic abuse by his wife surfaced.
Abrego Garcia was placed into criminal custody in Tennessee in connection with the human smuggling charges.
He was released on Friday, briefly returned to his Maryland home, and then reported to ICE in Baltimore, where agents again took him into custody. Following Monday’s court action, he remains detained while the legal challenge proceeds.
Attorneys for Abrego Garcia say federal immigration authorities offered a choice: plead guilty to the smuggling charges and, after serving any sentence, be deported to Costa Rica, or face deportation to Uganda.
According to his lawyers, the Trump administration reached an agreement with Uganda earlier in August under which the East African country agreed to accept U.S. deportees under specified conditions.
Counsel for Abrego Garcia have indicated he has rejected the Costa Rica option, and they expect he will be placed in Uganda if and when deportation is permitted.
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Shortly after ICE re-arrested Abrego Garcia, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a statement describing the administration’s position.
“President Trump is not going to allow this illegal alien, who is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator to terrorize American citizens any longer,” Noem said.
She has previously stated that the administration “would not stop fighting” until he is removed from the United States.
Monday’s order from Judge Xinis pauses any removal while the court considers next steps.
The judge said she would hold further proceedings to review the government’s plan to deport Abrego Garcia outside the United States and to evaluate arguments raised by his attorneys.
The temporary block underscores the intersecting criminal and immigration proceedings surrounding the case.
On the criminal side, Abrego Garcia faces federal human smuggling charges tied to travel and transport activities alleged to have occurred over almost ten years.
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On the immigration side, ICE has pursued removal while defense counsel contest potential destinations and cite prior relief related to El Salvador.
As of Monday evening, Abrego Garcia remained in ICE custody pending the outcome of the federal court’s review.
The administration’s agreement with Uganda, the defense’s position on Costa Rica, and the prior withholding of removal connected to El Salvador are expected to be central to upcoming arguments before Judge Xinis.
Further details on scheduling and filings are anticipated as the court sets a timeline for additional briefing and hearings.
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Deport him first thing in the morning. Tell the judge to shut up and sit down. The judge has no standing and no authority and is flouting the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the will of the American People. The Trump Admin should publicly deny this Judge’s authority and ignore her orders. Furthermore, the American Citizens should tar and feather this judge and ride her out of town on a rail. Until we, The People, express our outrage and impatience with rogue judges and the liberals, they will keep abusing us and our country. Liberals declared war on America, its culture, and its people ages ago and Conservatives have still not picked up the gauntlet and struck back. We are already embroiled in a Civil War that the Liberals expect to win in a bloodless courtroom. We need to admit that this war is already happening and start fighting it as if we intended to win because “our lives, our liberty, and our sacred honor” depend on it.
JM…Most veterans and conservative patriots could’nt have agree with you more and I could not have said what you have expressed any damn better. Let’s get the scum out of our country along with the useless judges that support them. Judges of this caliber are practicing what is tantamount to Communisium on the American public.
Tell this judge to stand down, she has no business getting involved. Pam Bondi should call her to Washington DC DOJ office to explain her reasoning then admonish her for her political opposition to an immigration case that has been adjudicated already.
These rouge “judges” have already been overruled by the SCOTUS, and have NO STANDING.
Time has come to arrest, remove these “judges” and charge them with aiding and abetting illegal alien CRIMINALS (against federal LAW) remember as the DEMOCOMMUNISTS continually opine. “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW”, and in MY opinion that includes rouge “judges”, as well as corrupt “mayors”, “governors” and members of CON-gress.
PUT HIM IN AN AMERICAN JAIL AND BILL THAT DUMBFUCK JUDGE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE GETS TO STAY IN JAIL!
What Right does he have to even be here in the USA..? NONE… Has had already 2 deportation orders on him and is still here Illegally..! When will they start arresting these rogue Judges, all they do is obstructing Justice, they need to be send with these criminal Illegal Aliens to Uganda and/or other countries..!
if she try’s to block his deportation give him to death before firing squad and order to pull trigger
her to pull trigger
He who laughs last laughs best.Thus judge will get her reward
Ignore the judge and do what has already been ordered twice by previous judges. Do what’s tight for America.