Overview

• U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes authorized his pretrial release with electronic monitoring, home detention, and residence with his brother in Maryland, with a reporting deadline early next week.
• He faces two federal human smuggling charges tied to a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop, has pleaded not guilty, and is set for trial in January 2026.
• His attorneys filed a motion to dismiss, arguing a vindictive and selective prosecution following his wrongful March deportation to El Salvador and court-ordered return in June.
• U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered ICE to restore him to Baltimore supervision and provide three business days’ notice before initiating removal, though officials still reserve the option to seek deportation to a third country.
• A private security firm is transporting him from Tennessee to Maryland, and judges have rejected prosecutors’ claims that he is dangerous based on alleged MS-13 ties.