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A court has ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, finding his continued confinement lacks legal authority.

"Since Abrego Garcia's return from erroneous detention in El Salvador, he has been taken back into custody, again without lawful authority," Judge Paula Xinis wrote in her ruling.

The case originates in a mistaken removal to El Salvador earlier this year, which the government later acknowledged was an mistake. After his return to the United States to face human smuggling charges, he was detained in federal detention.

In her order, the court noted that the authorities does not have a current deportation order, which prevents them from deporting Mr. Abrego Garcia "for now."

Context of the Case

The legal proceedings center on disputed claims. While the former administration contends that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 criminal organization, he categorically disputes this claim.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy counts, which are part of a ongoing trial in Tennessee.

Terms of Freedom

The court, who was hearing his challenge to deportation in a federal court, ruled that he must now adhere to the terms of his release from custody in Tennessee. This order effectively transfers his monitoring to the Tennessee court.

This decision represents a significant development in a complex legal case involving claims of mistaken imprisonment and disputed gang affiliations.