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gangs

Nashville judge dismisses case against Abrego Garcia as ‘vindictive’

By Marianna Bacallao

May 22, 2026

A federal judge has cleared Kilmar Abrego Garcia of all charges. The court found that the government’s case against the Maryland man only came after his deportation gained national attention.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Politics, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, human smuggling, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Prosecutor claims that delayed charges against Abrego Garcia were ‘extraordinary’ but justified

By Travis Loller, AP

February 26, 2026

A representative of the U.S. Attorney’s office testified in federal court on Thursday that the human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia was justified while acknowledging that the charges coming two years after a traffic stop in question was “extraordinary.”

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, human smuggling, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Abrego Garcia’s path to release is uncertain. Here’s the latest from a Nashville courthouse.

By Marianna Bacallao

July 16, 2025

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man wrongly deported to El Salvador in March, will remain in jail for at least another week over fears that releasing him could trigger a second deportation.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Politics, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, human smuggling, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Abrego Garcia to return to ICE custody, could be deported before trial

By Marianna Bacallao

June 25, 2025

Kilmar Abrego Garcia will soon be back in ICE custody, more than three months since his wrongful deportation to El Salvador.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Nashville federal judge rules Abrego Garcia can be released pre-trial, but he may not go free

By Marianna Bacallao

June 22, 2025

Upon his release, Abrego Garcia will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, where officials say he will be held until his trial or his deportation.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Politics, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Man wrongly deported to El Salvador pleads not guilty to smuggling charges in Nashville

By Marianna Bacallao

June 13, 2025

A group of protesters outside of a federal courthouse building in downtown Nashville.

After months of being detained in an El Salvadoran prison, Abrego Garcia’s path to release is uncertain. He pleaded not guilty to smuggling charges Friday.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Politics, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, Donald Trump, El Salvador, gangs, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, trafficking

Kilmar Abrego Garcia returned to the US, charged in Tennessee with transporting people in the country illegally

By The Associated Press

June 6, 2025

Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been charged by the Trump administration and a judge in Nashville determined he will be held in custody until at least next Friday.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, WPLN News Tagged With: deportations, El Salvador, gangs, Immigration, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, trafficking

What is Tren de Aragua’s footprint in the U.S.? Experts say smaller than federal officials say

By Allison Sherry~https://www.npr.org/people/nx-s1-40980/allison-sherry?ft=nprml&f=g-s1-58849|Martin Kaste~https://www.npr.org/people/2100722/martin-kaste?ft=nprml&f=g-s1-58849

April 21, 2025

Unreliable federal gang data and a heavy reliance on tattoos and clothing styles can skew the picture of this Venezuelan gang’s operations in America.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, WPLN News Tagged With: Alien Enemies Act, gangs, Tren de Aragua, U.S. Supreme Court

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