Judge Xinis Rebukes Trump DOJ for Misrepresentations in Abrego Garcia Deportation Case

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis strongly criticized Department of Justice attorneys during a hearing regarding the deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Trump administration is attempting to deport Garcia to Liberia, but Judge Xinis has blocked his removal, a decision currently under appeal to the 4th Circuit. During the proceedings, Xinis reprimanded DOJ lawyers for falsely claiming to the appeals court that she had failed to make requisite findings before issuing an injunction. She publicly demonstrated the error by reading from the transcript, forcing the attorneys to admit the mistake. Furthermore, the judge challenged the DOJ's authority to unilaterally deem a motion denied due to perceived delays in her ruling, asking them to cite legal precedent for such action, which they could not provide. The hearing highlighted significant procedural conflicts between the judiciary and the executive branch under the Trump II presidency, with career DOJ employees facing intense scrutiny for omissions and inaccuracies in their legal filings. No final resolution was reached in this specific hearing, but the judge's rebuke underscores ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement and judicial oversight.