Judge Extends Order Barring ICE Detention of Salvadoran Man

A federal judge in Maryland on Monday extended an order barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement from detaining Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, allowing him to remain free through at least the end of December while she reviews the government's deportation plans.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, presiding over the case in Greenbelt, expressed frustration with the Department of Justice's presentations during the hearing, questioning the reliability of government representations. Abrego Garcia, who appeared in court without custody for the first time since his recent release, has been at the center of a prolonged legal dispute over his immigration status and potential removal from the United States. Xinis ordered his release from immigration detention on December 11, citing a lack of a valid removal order at the time, and followed with a temporary restraining order the next day to prevent immediate rearrest. Although the government obtained a final removal order shortly after, the judge maintained the pause pending further clarification.

The hearing focused on the government's intentions for Abrego Garcia's future. Xinis pressed a Justice Department lawyer on the next...