GREENBELT, Md. — During a court hearing Tuesday, a federal judge upheld injunctions barring the re-detention and deportation of Kilmar Abrego-Garcia to Liberia.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis slammed the Trump administration's efforts to arrest and deport Abrego-Garcia, claiming the government made "false assertions" about her previous rulings.
The Trump administration's renewed effort to deport Abrego-Garcia to Liberia began in March.
ICE filed a court motion seeking to deport the Maryland resident after his release was ordered by Judge Xinis in December 2025.
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In a statement released Tuesday by We Are CASA, the organization said Abrego-Garcia would prefer to be sent to Costa Rica, but the Trump administration is persisting in its "vindictive efforts" to send him to Liberia, "where he would be without any status and at risk of being sent back to El Salvador."
"The court raised concerns about those efforts in light of the same administration's ongoing criminal prosecution against Kilmar in the Middle District of Tennessee. That case is actively keeping him in the United States and points to a lack of sincerity in the government's purported goal of simply removing him as soon as possible," We Are CASA said.
"Today, Kilmar is once again able to walk out of court and return to his family. That victory is a testament to the power of community organizing; congratulations to all who continue to stand with Kilmar and his family," said Vivianna Lozano, Maryland Organizing Deputy Director with We Are CASA. "Attempts to attack due process may continue in this case, and across our country. We must stay vigilant, and continue to organize, because injustice against one of us threatens us all."
"The government is unwilling to send Mr. Abrego to Costa Rica for unexplained reasons," said Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, Kilmar's attorney. "Since they're not allowed to deport him to Africa, the case remains at a stalemate caused by the government. What the judge pointed out is that this demolishes the government's argument that what they're trying to do is deport Mr. Abrego-Garcia from the United States."
With Tuesday's ruling, Abrego-Garcia will remain protected under the injunctions.
The injunctions will remain in place unless overturned on appeal, which is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
