Overview

• U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. ruled that Kilmar Ábrego García presented enough evidence to pursue discovery and an evidentiary hearing on a claim that his federal prosecution was retaliatory.
• Crenshaw highlighted statements by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, including that Ábrego was returned "for no other reason than to face justice," as potential direct evidence of retaliation.
• The Tennessee case charges Ábrego with transporting undocumented migrants stemming from a November 2022 traffic stop, with the judge noting an unusual 903‑day gap before the indictment.
• In Baltimore immigration court, Judge Philip Taylor denied both Ábrego’s motion to reopen his 2019 case and his asylum request, triggering a 30‑day window to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
• DHS publicly said his deportation order stands and alleged MS‑13 affiliation, while ICE considers third‑country removal options such as Uganda or Eswatini and Ábrego remains in U.S. custody.