Overview

• At a June 13 arraignment in Nashville federal court, Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to two federal counts of human smuggling stemming from a 2022 traffic stop.
• Prosecutors argue he poses a flight risk and could intimidate witnesses; his defense disputes allegations of MS-13 ties and deems the case politically motivated.
• His lawyers have filed motions opposing pretrial detention, asserting he neither threatens the community nor has a history of recent international travel.
• The indictment and ensuing political concerns prompted the resignation of Ben Schrader, the former criminal division chief in Tennessee’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
• Abrego Garcia’s legal team has also asked a Maryland judge to hold the Trump administration in contempt for ignoring court orders that guaranteed his return from El Salvador.