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A court has ordered the prompt release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, concluding his ongoing confinement is without legal authority.

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

The case originates in a erroneous deportation to El Salvador earlier this year, which US authorities later acknowledged was an mistake. After his repatriation to the United States to answer alien smuggling charges, he was held in federal custody.

In her order, the judge noted that the authorities does not have a valid removal order, which prevents them from removing Mr. Abrego Garcia "at this time."

Context of the Case

The court proceedings involve disputed claims. While the former administration argues that Abrego Garcia is a affiliate of the MS-13 criminal organization, he vehemently disputes this allegation.

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

Conditions of Freedom

The judge, who was hearing his challenge to deportation in a federal court, determined that he must now comply with the terms of his release from custody in Tennessee. This order shifts his supervision to the jurisdiction handling his criminal case.

This ruling represents a notable turn in a complicated immigration case involving claims of wrongful detention and contested gang affiliations.