When Kilmar Abrego Garcia won back-to-back rulings in his favor, my former MSNBC colleague Katie Phang and I immediately hopped on a Substack Live to break it down.
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Kilmar Abrego Garcia has now won every courtroom battle for his release before standing trial on criminal charges, but the Maryland man will remain in jail at least 30 days before being released.
The rulings in Abrego’s favor came fast and furious on Wednesday.
First, a federal judge in Maryland blocked the government from immediately putting Abrego in immigration custody if he were released on bail. Then, minutes later, a federal judge in Tennessee rejected the government’s attempts to keep Abrego detained before trial.
The back-to-back victories would seem to have paved the way for Abrego’s imminent return to Maryland, where his wife Jennifer Vasquez Sura and their three children live.
But Abrego’s team also succeeded in delaying their client’s release for 30 days, in order to prevent the government from deporting him before he can stand trial on smuggling charges in January 2026.
Katie Phang and I, who were former MSNBC colleagues before deciding to go independent, break down the latest in a 30-minute video. We highlight key details from the rulings, which you can read in full below.
U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr.’s ruling in Nashville rejecting revocation of Abrego’s bond.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis’s ruling protecting Abrego’s due process rights pending trial.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Holmes’s ruling granting a 30-day stay of Abrego’s release.
Read the All Rise News exclusive mentioned in this video here.
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