US News / Politics
Judge Free MS-13 Gang Member Kilmar Abrego Garcia Amid Deportation Battle
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted the ruling as a "new low" in judicial obstruction, labeling Garcia a "monster" and accusing Xinis of endangering Americans by unleashing a serial abuser, child predator, and trafficker.
RWTNews Staff
August 23, 2025 - MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia walked free from a Tennessee jail Friday after U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes ordered his release under home detention, allowing him to return to Maryland with electronic monitoring and restrictions on movement. An Obama-appointed Maryland judge, Paula Xinis, had previously blocked ICE from detaining him, mandating his restoration to pre-deportation supervision. DHS notified his counsel that deportation to Uganda—a third country—could occur no earlier than 72 hours from now, requiring him to report to ICE's Baltimore office Monday. If deported, it would sidestep his native El Salvador, potentially resolving his case amid ongoing human smuggling charges.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted the ruling as a "new low" in judicial obstruction, labeling Garcia a "monster" and accusing Xinis of endangering Americans by unleashing a serial abuser, child predator, and trafficker. "By ordering this monster loose on America’s streets, this judge has shown a complete disregard for the safety of the American people," Noem stated.
The saga began in early 2025 when President Trump's administration, prioritizing the removal of criminal illegal aliens, deported Garcia—an undocumented Salvadoran—to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison for alleged MS-13 ties and prior convictions including domestic violence and child endangerment. Garcia, who entered the U.S. illegally as a minor in 2013 and was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under Obama, had his status revoked amid Trump's crackdown on gang-affiliated immigrants.
Radical left-wing judges intervened: Xinis ruled the deportation unlawful, ordering Garcia's return to the U.S. and release under supervision, citing due process violations. Democrats and media outlets politicized the case, downplaying his criminal history by referring to him as a "Maryland man" in headlines, omitting his gang affiliations and illegal status to portray the deportation as unjust. This narrative fueled accusations of racism against President Trump's policies, with outlets like CNN and MSNBC framing it as targeting "immigrants" rather than violent offenders.
In July 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Garcia for conspiracy to transport aliens and unlawful transportation after a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop revealed him driving nine undocumented migrants. He pleaded not guilty, but remained jailed until Holmes' order, with his attorneys fearing immediate re-deportation. A separate ruling in a related case granted him time to challenge any new removal order, paving the way for Friday's release.
As Garcia heads to home confinement in Maryland—limited to work, religious services, and approved activities—his smuggling trial looms in Tennessee. Deportation to Uganda, if executed, would fulfill DHS's "third-country" strategy for high-risk removals. President Trump's team vows to pursue all avenues to expel such threats, countering judicial roadblocks that have delayed mass deportations. This case exemplifies the ongoing struggle to enforce borders amid activist interference, with outcomes potentially setting precedents for thousands of similar removals.