Federal Judge Dismisses Vindictive Prosecution Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A federal judge in Nashville dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling the Trump administration’s prosecution was vindictive. Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite court orders, then returned after Supreme Court intervention. Judge Waverly Crenshaw found the DOJ reopened a closed investigation only after Garcia sued over his deportation, citing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s involvement. The ruling is a major legal victory for Garcia and a rebuke to Trump’s immigration policies.
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Obama-Appointed Judge Dismisses Tennessee Smuggling Charges Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A federal judge dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, ruling the prosecution was 'vindictive.' U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, an Obama appointee, found that the government only reopened the investigation after Abrego Garcia successfully challenged his deportation. The charges stemmed from a December 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was transporting eight passengers. Police suspected human smuggling, but he was released at the FBI's request. The car belonged to Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes, previously convicted for human smuggling. Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally in 2011 and was arrested in 2019 on MS-13 suspicion, but an immigration judge granted him withholding of removal due to danger in El Salvador. The Trump administration deported him to El Salvador in March 2025. The DOJ did not comment.
ZeroHedge NewsJudge Rules Trump Administration's Charges Against Wrongfully Deported Man Are Vindictive Prosecution
A federal judge, District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr., an Obama appointee, has ruled that the Trump administration's criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia constitute 'vindictive prosecution.' Garcia, a 30-year-old Maryland father of three, was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March last year during the administration's deportation campaign. After the Supreme Court forced the government to facilitate his return to the U.S., the Justice Department, led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, brought human smuggling charges against Garcia stemming from a November 2022 traffic stop that had been closed. Garcia contested the charges as vindictive and selective, and the judge agreed, delivering a sharp rebuke to the administration's handling of the case.
The Daily Beast Latest ArticlesJudge Drops Indictment Against Mistakenly Deported Man Kilmar Abrego Garcia
A federal judge dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was erroneously deported to El Salvador last year due to a clerical error. The case became a symbol of criticism against President Trump's mass deportation policies. U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw blasted the prosecution as an 'abuse of prosecuting power,' citing former Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's public comments linking the reopened investigation to Garcia's successful lawsuit as evidence of a vindictive motive. Garcia had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The decision marks a significant legal victory for Garcia and his supporters.
Forbes - BusinessJudge Dismisses Charges Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Citing Vindictive Prosecution by Trump DOJ
A federal judge in Tennessee dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling that the Trump administration's Justice Department prosecuted him vindictively after he challenged his mistaken deportation to El Salvador. Judge Waverly Crenshaw found that the government closed its investigation into a 2022 traffic stop after Abrego Garcia was deported, only to reopen it after he sued over his removal. The judge criticized senior DOJ officials, including then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, for their involvement. Abrego Garcia was deported in March 2025 despite a court order barring his removal, then returned to the US in June after the Supreme Court intervened. The ruling is a major legal victory for Abrego Garcia and a setback for Trump's immigration enforcement policies.
US Top News and AnalysisFederal Judge Dismisses Criminal Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Rules Vindictive Prosecution
A federal judge in Nashville, U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr., dismissed the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, ruling he was the victim of vindictive prosecution by the Trump Justice Department. The indictment was a reprisal for Abrego Garcia prevailing in his civil case over wrongful deportation to El Salvador. Judge Crenshaw pointed to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who as deputy attorney general reopened a closed investigation after Abrego Garcia's legal victory. The dismissal marks another turn in the saga of Abrego Garcia's unlawful removal to a Salvadoran prison despite court orders. The judge also ended pre-trial release conditions, potentially allowing Abrego Garcia to accept asylum in Costa Rica, which the administration had blocked. Abrego Garcia's attorney praised the ruling as a victory against a politicized White House and an independent judiciary.
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