Federal Judge Dismisses Human-Smuggling Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

A Tennessee federal judge dismissed human-smuggling charges against Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia on Friday, CNBC reported, ruling the Trump administration’s Justice Department had acted vindictively in bringing the case.

Judge Finds Prosecution Driven by Retaliation

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw issued a 32-page ruling concluding the government would never have pursued the charges had Abrego Garcia not legally challenged his removal from the country. Crenshaw opened the opinion by invoking a decades-old warning from former Attorney General Robert H. Jackson against prosecutors who target individuals first and then search for crimes to charge them with. The judge said that pattern applied directly here.

Crenshaw found that federal investigators had closed their inquiry into a November 2022 Tennessee traffic stop once Abrego Garcia was deported. The probe was only reopened after he filed suit challenging that removal. The judge said a “retaliatory taint” colored the entire renewed investigation.

Background on a Politically Charged Case

Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March 2025 despite a standing court order prohibiting the government from sending him there, citing risk of persecution. The case quickly became a focal point of opposition to the administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement push. After the Supreme Court directed officials to facilitate his return, Abrego Garcia was brought back to the United States in June 2025. Prosecutors then secured a criminal indictment accusing him of human smuggling. He pleaded not guilty throughout the proceedings.

Also Read: Supreme Court Orders Trump Administration to Facilitate Abrego Garcia’s Return

Senior DOJ Officials Draw Scrutiny

Crenshaw’s ruling also examined the conduct of senior Justice Department figures. The judge noted that statements made by Todd Blanche, who served as deputy attorney general and now acts as attorney general, along with actions taken by Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh, raised serious questions about how the decision to reopen the case was made. Crenshaw wrote that Singh’s role extended from the timing of the indictment down to the specific charges considered.

The DOJ pushed back sharply, vowing to appeal and accusing the court of elevating politics over public safety. Abrego Garcia’s legal team called the outcome a vindication and praised what they described as an independent judiciary applying facts without political interference.

Also Read: Trump Immigration Enforcement Faces Growing Legal Challenges

What Comes Next

The Justice Department’s planned appeal means the legal battle is far from over. The dismissal nonetheless hands the government a significant courtroom setback in one of the most closely watched immigration cases of the Trump era.

Read Next: Federal Courts Push Back on Executive Power Across Multiple Fronts