Kilmar Ábrego García’s Release Halted Amid Legal Uncertainty, Controversial Witness Deal Unveiled

A federal judge in Nashville has paused the planned release of Kilmar Ábrego García, who faces human smuggling charges, following urgent requests from his attorneys. The legal team has asked the court to keep Ábrego García detained, citing ‘contradictory statements’ from the administration regarding his potential re-deportation upon release. This move highlights deep distrust in the Justice Department’s assurances.

The latest developments come as court records reveal a controversial agreement: the Trump administration granted a key cooperating witness, José Ramón Hernández Reyes, immunity from deportation in exchange for his testimony against Ábrego García. Hernández Reyes, 38, previously convicted of migrant smuggling and illegal re-entry, and who also pleaded guilty to ‘deadly conduct,’ has been released early from federal prison and permitted to remain in the U.S. for at least a year. Prosecutors have identified him as the ‘first cooperator’ in the case, linking him to an SUV allegedly used by Ábrego García in a 2022 smuggling incident.

Ábrego García, a construction worker, became a central figure in the debate over hardline immigration policies after his mistaken deportation to El Salvador in March. He was returned to the U.S. this month under Supreme Court order to face the ‘preposterous’ charges. With a federal judge now hesitant to release him due to concerns over swift detention by ICE, his attorneys are taking the unusual step of requesting his continued incarceration until his trial. Ábrego García has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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