US judge dismisses indictment against Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

May 22, 2026 3:02 PM EDT Updated 5 mins ago


NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ​dismissed an indictment against Salvadoran ‌migrant Kilmar Abrego on Friday, finding that the Trump administration would not have ​prosecuted him had he not ​challenged his deportation.

Abrego, who entered the ⁠United States illegally, became a symbol ​of the Trump administration's drive for ​mass deportations when he was sent to a megaprison in El Salvador in March ​despite a prior court order barring ​him from being returned there because of a ‌risk ⁠of persecution.

The Trump administration brought Abrego back to the U.S. in June after the U.S. Supreme Court ​ordered the ​government to ⁠facilitate his return. His return came only after prosecutors ​secured a criminal indictment charging ​Abrego ⁠with human smuggling.

Abrego pleaded not guilty and argued he was being prosecuted ⁠in ​retaliation for suing ​the government to be returned.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-dismisses-indictment-against-salvadoran-migrant-kilmar-abrego-2026-05-22/

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Just breaking.

Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622.312.0.pdf

REFERENCES (most recent/relevant)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143622799
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143622891
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143648213

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. This makes me smile

BREAKING: The judge has DISMISSED the criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia on vindictive and selective prosecution grounds! A MAJOR win for Mr. Abrego. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

— Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) 2026-05-22T19:09:15.136Z

[underpants]

2. Abrego is their own self inflicted thorn

Good. They clearly were trying to get rid of him and make an example out of him.

[70sEraVet]

3. Does this mean the poor guy has protection from being deported?

[the nelm]

13. One can only hope, but give these mfers a few days.

I'm sure they'll try and conjure up some other bs to go after him with. Trump and his goons are nothing if not vindictive after all.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Here is a link to the opinion

Link to tweet

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622/gov.uscourts.tnmd.104622.312.0.pdf

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. That's Tennessee. What about the court in Greenbelt, Maryland?

Thanks, and good afternoon.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. The criminal charges were pending in Teenessee

The deportation proceeding is in Maryland. This opinion will be used in the deportation case

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. Judge drops criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garca, ruling it vindictive

The Maryland man was charged with human smuggling after a high-profile legal fight in which courts ruled he had been illegally deported to El Salvador.

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/22/judge-drops-criminal-case-against-kilmar-abrego-garca-ruling-it-vindictive

A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s human-smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego García on Friday, ruling that the Trump administration improperly brought it to punish him for successfully challenging his illegal deportation last year.

U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. in Tennessee wrote that “evidence before this Court sadly reflects an abuse of prosecuting power.”

The decision delivered an extraordinary defeat for the administration, which marshaled the resources of multiple federal agencies to publicly malign Abrego after court rulings concluded that officials had unlawfully deported him to his native El Salvador, in violation of a 2019 immigration court order.

Crenshaw’s ruling also marked the first time a judge has validated what has become an increasingly common defense raised by high-profile defendants targeted by the Justice Department in Trump’s second term: the claim that they are being prosecuted not in pursuit of justice but rather for political revenge.

In his decision, the judge acknowledged the incredibly high bar defendants must meet to warrant a case’s dismissal on those grounds. It requires defense attorneys to prove that charges would not have been brought but for improper, vindictive motives on the part of government attorneys......

Despite Crenshaw’s decision, U.S. immigration authorities have previously signaled they still intend to deport Abrego, 31 — who entered the country illegally from El Salvador as a teen. But their ability to do so has been temporarily blocked by a federal court ruling from Maryland, where Abrego lives with his wife, a U.S. citizen, and children.

The feds will still try to deport Abrego

[BumRushDaShow]

10. The claims had been that both parties had at some point agreed that he would be willing to be deported to Costa Rica

But then suddenly, that option got pulled as DHS & DOJ wanted to continue the flogging punishment, since he kept exposing their P.R. game-playing, and were continuing to scramble to paper-over their arrogant and vindictive stupidity.

[rurallib]

7. If anybody deserves money from Trump's slush fund

for being royally fucked over by an out of control administration, it is this guy and his family.

I would say he should get a billion and another billion from Trump, and another from Miller.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. Judge drops criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garca, ruling it vindictive

The Maryland man was charged with human smuggling after a high-profile legal fight in which courts ruled he had been illegally deported to El Salvador.

Link to tweet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/22/judge-drops-criminal-case-against-kilmar-abrego-garca-ruling-it-vindictive

A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s human-smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego García on Friday, ruling that the Trump administration improperly brought it to punish him for successfully challenging his illegal deportation last year.

U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. in Tennessee wrote that “evidence before this Court sadly reflects an abuse of prosecuting power.”

The decision delivered an extraordinary defeat for the administration, which marshaled the resources of multiple federal agencies to publicly malign Abrego after court rulings concluded that officials had unlawfully deported him to his native El Salvador, in violation of a 2019 immigration court order.

Crenshaw’s ruling also marked the first time a judge has validated what has become an increasingly common defense raised by high-profile defendants targeted by the Justice Department in Trump’s second term: the claim that they are being prosecuted not in pursuit of justice but rather for political revenge.

In his decision, the judge acknowledged the incredibly high bar defendants must meet to warrant a case’s dismissal on those grounds. It requires defense attorneys to prove that charges would not have been brought but for improper, vindictive motives on the part of government attorneys......

Despite Crenshaw’s decision, U.S. immigration authorities have previously signaled they still intend to deport Abrego, 31 — who entered the country illegally from El Salvador as a teen. But their ability to do so has been temporarily blocked by a federal court ruling from Maryland, where Abrego lives with his wife, a U.S. citizen, and children.

The feds will still try to deport Abrego

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. An extraordinary rebuke of Todd Blanche and his Justice Dept.

This opinion will be featured in the case when Blanche is disbarred. This judge called out Blanche 30 times.

Link to tweet

An extraordinary rebuke of Todd Blanche and his Justice Dept.

Court dismisses indictment of Abrego Garcia (an exceedingly rare outcome in a criminal case).

Finding of vindictive prosecution and "an abuse of prosecuting power."

The opinion name checks Blanche nearly 30 times.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. Donny must have soiled himself big time

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. Thank god for their big fat incompetent mouths.