Judge to rule by next week on Abrego Garcia's detention as he awaits trial

Source: ABC News

July 16, 2025, 10:35 PM


A federal judge in Tennessee said he anticipates making a decision next Monday regarding pre-trial detention for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, after a hearing Wednesday in which government attorneys argued that the accused MS-13 gang member poses a public danger and flight risk too great for any possible bail conditions imaginable.

Abrego Garcia's lawyer countered that the government's probe into allegations of human smuggling against his client was far from thorough and is riddled with credibility issues.

Furthermore, "what happens to Mr. Garcia" if he's released into ICE custody is totally murky, defense attorney Sean Hecker said -- particularly since he was previously "sent to a torture facility" in El Salvador.

The government has said that Abrego Garcia will likely be detained by ICE and deported to a third country if released from criminal custody. U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw set a trial date of Jan. 27, 2026.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/federal-judge-hear-arguments-abrego-garcias-detention-pending/story?id=123795148