Kilmar Abrego Garcia Released from Tennessee Custody, Heads Home to Maryland

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran, was wrongfully deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador earlier this year. He was released from federal custody on Friday. Now, he is heading back to his family in suburban Maryland. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes in the Middle District of Tennessee has ordered his release from a facility near Nashville. This is his first day free from detention since March 2025.

Abrego Garcia, 30, faced detention on human-smuggling charges. He came back to the U.S. in June after what the government called an “administrative error.” This error occurred after he was mistakenly removed and locked up overseas. He said he is not guilty of two charges for transporting undocumented people for money. He has always denied being part of any gang.

Under the terms of his release, Abrego Garcia must:

  • Travel directly to Maryland within 48 hours and reside at his brother’s home,
  • Wear an electronic monitoring device,
  • Report regularly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Baltimore, and
  • Alert authorities at least 72 hours before any intended deportation or transfer to a third country.

Sean Hecker, one of Abrego Garcia’s attorneys, praised the ruling. He noted, “Abrego Garcia faced unlawful detention and deportation. He was imprisoned because the government retaliated against a man who stood up to the Administration’s attack on legal principles.” Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, a defense team member, remarked, “We’ve seen a measure of justice. But the government must halt actions that could upset this family again.”

His trial for federal smuggling charges will start in Nashville in January 2026. Abrego Garcia’s legal team is on alert. They worry that ICE might try to detain or deport him again. They plan to fight any actions that could separate him from his wife and three children in Maryland.

The case has gained national attention for due-process issues in the current immigration policies. It shows the conflict between enforcement goals and judicial orders meant to protect vulnerable migrants.