2019 – An immigration judge issues a withholding‑of‑removal order for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, finding he has a well‑founded fear of danger in El Salvador and prohibiting his deportation, a decision that later underpins his legal challenges. [13][14]

August 2023 – ICE mistakenly deports Garcia to a notorious prison in El Salvador, where he is detained despite having no criminal record, sparking criticism of the administration’s immigration enforcement. [14]

March 2025 – The Trump administration again erroneously sends Garcia back to El Salvador, violating the 2019 protection order; he remains in a mega‑prison until a court intervenes. [1][4][15][16]

April 2025 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the administration must return Garcia to the United States, overturning the illegal deportation and setting the stage for his re‑entry. [14]

June 2025 – Garcia returns to the United States after the Supreme Court order and is immediately charged with federal human‑smuggling offenses stemming from a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop. [1][4][15]

Dec 11, 2025 – Judge Paula Xinis releases Garcia from ICE custody, finding no lawful removal order and declaring the detention unlawful; she also issues a temporary restraining order to block any immediate re‑detention. [4][11][18]

Dec 12, 2025 – In a 10‑page decision, Xinis orders immediate release and notes the government “offers no evidence that removal is likely in the reasonably foreseeable future,” emphasizing due‑process concerns; she also blocks ICE from detaining him pending further briefing. [1][15][16]

Dec 13, 2025 – The judge temporarily blocks any attempt to deport Garcia to African countries, citing procedural errors in the 2019 immigration decision and preserving his pre‑trial release conditions. [13]

Dec 15, 2025 – A Maryland federal court orders Garcia’s release and bars re‑detention until a hearing, while his lawyers argue his asylum claim may be revived after the wrongful deportation reset the filing deadline. [12]

Dec 22, 2025 – During a hearing, Xinis presses the Justice Department for a concrete removal plan, quipping “Well then, this is no harm, no foul,” and demands evidence of intent to re‑arrest or a notice that none is planned. [2][11][18]

Dec 23, 2025 – Xinis orders the government to file a brief by Dec 26 on any plan to re‑detain Garcia, giving his lawyers until Dec 30 to respond, thereby extending his freedom over the holidays. [10]

Dec 26, 2025 – Judge Waverly Crenshaw cancels Garcia’s criminal trial and schedules a Jan 28 hearing to determine whether the human‑smuggling prosecution is vindictive, requiring prosecutors to justify the charges. [9]

Dec 28, 2025 – DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posts on X criticizing Garcia’s TikTok video, highlighting the clash between agency communication limits and public attention to the case. [5]

Dec 30, 2025 – ICE files a brief stating it will not detain Garcia again while Xinis’s order remains in effect, acknowledging that any future detention depends on lifting the injunction. [8][17]

Jan 28, 2026 – The scheduled hearing examines the vindictive‑prosecution claim; prosecutors argue the indictment is based on evidence from the 2022 stop, while Garcia maintains the case is retaliatory. [9][8]

Feb 17, 2026 – Judge Xinis issues a permanent injunction barring ICE from re‑detaining Garcia, concluding the 90‑day detention period has expired and the government lacks a viable removal plan, stating there is “no good reason to believe” removal is likely. [1][7]

Feb 26, 2026 – In a separate hearing, Judge Crenshaw flags possible vindictiveness in the smuggling case, noting statements from Trump‑era officials and that the indictment was filed “extraordinary” two years after the underlying incident. [6]