Federal Judge Orders Trump Officials to Limit Statements on Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case

A federal judge overseeing the criminal case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant accused of human smuggling, has ordered officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop making prejudicial public statements that could influence the jury and interfere with a fair trial. Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. criticized statements by top Trump administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, for inaccurately portraying Abrego Garcia as an MS-13 gang member, child predator, and domestic abuser. The judge found these comments violated court rules and warned that future breaches could result in sanctions, though he stopped short of issuing a gag order. Meanwhile, in a separate immigration case in Maryland, another federal judge pressed the U.S. government to guarantee Abrego Garcia would not be deported to Liberia before a court decides on an injunction blocking his removal, noting the government's unclear rationale for choosing Liberia over countries like Costa Rica, which would allow his legal entry. Abrego Garcia has previously been granted protection from deportation to El Salvador due to fears of gang violence, and his mistaken earlier deportation sparked national outrage. Overall, the judiciary is actively managing both the criminal prosecution and immigration proceedings related to Abrego Garcia to ensure due process and legal protections are upheld.