Abrego Garcia's Lawyers Seek to Keep Him in Jail Amid Deportation Uncertainty

Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia requested a federal judge in Tennessee to delay his release from jail due to conflicting statements by the Trump administration regarding his potential deportation upon release.

A federal judge in Nashville has been considering releasing Abrego Garcia to await trial on human smuggling charges but has hesitated due to concerns that immigration officials might detain him for deportation.

Abrego Garcia's attorneys are now seeking to continue detaining him following statements by Trump administration officials, expressing distrust in any representations made by the Justice Department on this issue.

Abrego Garcia, a construction worker from Maryland, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March, sparking controversy over Trump's immigration policies. He was returned to the U.S. to face smuggling charges, which his attorneys deem as baseless.

The Justice Department intends to try Abrego Garcia on the smuggling charges before considering deportation to a third country, not El Salvador. The government has not provided a timeline for the deportation plans.

Abrego Garcia's lawyers highlighted that this was the first time the government mentioned not deporting him back to El Salvador immediately after the trial but to a third country.

They also referenced a statement from a White House spokesperson emphasizing that Abrego Garcia would face trial and serve time in an American prison for his alleged crimes.

The attorneys criticized the Trump administration for bringing Abrego Garcia back only to convict him in the court of public opinion, questioning the government's commitment to a fair trial.

They have requested the judge to postpone his release until a court hearing on July 16 to address a prosecution request to revoke his release order.

Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to smuggling charges and his lawyers argue that these charges are an attempt to justify his wrongful deportation to El Salvador.

The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was driving a vehicle with nine passengers but no luggage.

The judge had previously ruled that Abrego Garcia was not a flight risk or a danger to the community but delayed his release over concerns of potential deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to the source: AP News.