A federal judge in Tennessee dismissed human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant whose mistaken deportation became a prominent case in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw ruled Friday that the Justice Department’s prosecution of Abrego Garcia was vindictive. In a 32-page decision, Crenshaw found that the government would not have brought the criminal case if Abrego Garcia had not challenged his removal from the United States.
The case stems from Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador in March 2025, despite a prior court order barring the government from sending him there because of concerns that he could face persecution. The Supreme Court later ordered the administration to facilitate his return, and he was brought back to the United States in June 2025. Before his return, prosecutors obtained an indictment accusing him of human smuggling.
Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty and argued that the charges were retaliation for his legal challenge. Crenshaw agreed, writing that the record did not adequately explain why the government initially chose removal over prosecution, then later pursued prosecution after Abrego Garcia sued.
The judge also examined the role of senior Justice Department officials, including then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh. Crenshaw wrote that evidence showed involvement from Justice Department leadership before the local U.S. attorney led the case, and that Singh’s role included issues related to the timing and substance of the indictment.
The Justice Department said it plans to appeal, calling the ruling “wrong and dangerous” and criticizing the judge’s decision. Abrego Garcia’s legal team said the ruling reflected the importance of an independent judiciary.
The decision is a significant legal development in a case that has drawn attention to the administration’s immigration policies and the use of prosecutorial authority in politically sensitive matters. The White House referred questions to the Justice Department.