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A federal judge has ordered the immediate discharge of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, finding his ongoing confinement is without legal authority.

"Since his release after erroneous imprisonment in El Salvador, he has been taken back into custody, again without legal justification," the judge wrote in her order.

The case originates in a mistaken removal to El Salvador in March, which US authorities later admitted was an mistake. After his return to the United States to answer human smuggling charges, he was detained in immigration detention.

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

Background of the Case

The court challenge center on disputed assertions. While the Trump administration contends that Abrego Garcia is a affiliate of the MS-13 gang, he vehemently disputes this claim.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy counts, which are part of a separate criminal case in the state of Tennessee.

Terms of Release

The court, who was overseeing his petition to deportation in a Maryland district court, determined that he must now comply with the terms of his bond from custody in Tennessee. This order shifts his monitoring to the jurisdiction handling his criminal case.

This ruling marks a notable turn in a complex immigration battle featuring allegations of wrongful detention and contested criminal affiliations.