Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, has become the center of a high-profile legal battle after the Trump administration was accused of “vindictive prosecution” for charging him with human smuggling only after he won a wrongful deportation case. Although officials previously alleged he had gang ties, Abrego-Garcia has no criminal record and has pleaded not guilty to the smuggling charges, which stem from a 2022 traffic stop where he originally received only a warning. Unsealed court documents suggest that high-level Justice Department officials fast-tracked his indictment as a “top priority,” leading a federal judge to question the government’s motives and trustworthiness. Currently, a judge has barred ICE from re-detaining him while the criminal case proceeds, with a key hearing on the motion to dismiss the charges scheduled for late January 2026.
Date: December 31, 2025. Source: apnews.com