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A federal judge has ruled the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, concluding his continued confinement is without legal authority.

"Since his release after wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been taken back into custody, again without legal justification," Judge Paula Xinis stated in her ruling.

The case originates in a mistaken removal to El Salvador earlier this year, which US authorities later acknowledged was an error. Following his return to the United States to answer alien smuggling allegations, he was held in immigration detention.

In her decision, the court noted that the government lacks a valid removal order, which prevents them from deporting Mr. Abrego Garcia "for now."

Context of the Case

The legal proceedings involve conflicting assertions. Whereas the former administration contends that Abrego Garcia is a affiliate of the MS-13 criminal organization, he categorically disputes this allegation.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charges, which are part of a ongoing criminal case in the state of Tennessee.

Conditions of Release

The judge, who was overseeing his petition to deportation in a Maryland district court, determined that he must now adhere to the conditions of his release from jail in Tennessee. This decision effectively transfers his monitoring to the Tennessee court.

This decision represents a significant turn in a complex immigration battle involving allegations of wrongful detention and contested criminal affiliations.