Kilmar Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty Friday to human trafficking charges after being illegally deported by the Trump administration and returning to the U.S.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WE) — Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national deported illegally by the Trump administration in March, pleaded not guilty to human trafficking charges on Friday. Federal prosecutors filed these charges after his return to the United States.
William Allensworth, one of Abrego Garcia’s defense attorneys, entered the not guilty plea on his client’s behalf during a federal court hearing. The hearing mainly focused on whether Abrego Garcia should remain detained while awaiting trial on two felony charges related to immigrant smuggling.
Abrego Garcia briefly spoke in court in Spanish, stating he understood the charges. Wearing a red jail jumpsuit, he entered the courtroom just minutes before the hearing began. One of his attorneys hugged him before they sat together at the defense table. Two Spanish interpreters also accompanied them.
The government filed the criminal case against Abrego Garcia last month after a grand jury indictment. This legal action happened just before Abrego Garcia suddenly returned to the U.S. after over two months in El Salvador. The Supreme Court of the United States ordered the Trump administration to release him from custody in El Salvador. Since then, the administration has refused to provide federal courts with details about its efforts to bring him back, citing “state secrets” privilege. They also challenged judicial demands for more transparency.
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors and defense lawyers argued whether Abrego Garcia should remain in custody. Even if U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes ruled for his release, prosecutors planned to appeal. They also indicated they would seek to detain him on immigration grounds, regardless of the criminal case’s outcome.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Peter Joseph testified as the first witness. He described a 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia on Interstate 40 in Tennessee. The stop formed the core of the immigrant smuggling charges.
Agent Joseph reviewed video footage from a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer’s body-worn camera. Though he was not at the scene, Joseph explained why this event suggested human trafficking.
In the video, Abrego Garcia said the people inside the Chevrolet Suburban worked construction in St. Louis. They were heading to Maryland. However, Agent Joseph noted nine passengers rode in the vehicle, yet no construction tools appeared. State officers asked the men to write their names and birth dates on a piece of paper passed around the van.
When asked how many passengers Abrego Garcia was driving were in the U.S. illegally, Joseph replied, “Right now, we’re at six of the nine.”
Abrego Garcia’s deportation case became an early and prominent example of the Trump administration’s aggressive mass-deportation policies. It also highlighted the administration’s refusal to follow court orders it opposed.
He entered the United States illegally in 2012. In 2019, he applied for asylum after facing deportation proceedings. Although authorities denied his asylum claim, an immigration judge barred ICE from deporting him to El Salvador. The judge feared local gangs might target him there.
Despite this court order, immigration officials arrested Abrego Garcia on March 15. They put him aboard one of three controversial flights deporting more than 230 foreigners to El Salvador. Upon arrival, these individuals were immediately marched into a harsh anti-terrorism prison known for severe conditions.
Many deportees on these flights came under the Alien Enemies Act — a wartime authority Trump invoked against Venezuela’s gang, Tren de Aragua. While prosecutors and some officials claimed Abrego Garcia belonged to the violent gang MS-13, his lawyers denied those allegations. Trump’s proclamation applied only to Venezuelan citizens. Since Abrego Garcia is Salvadoran, his deportation under this rule sparked legal controversy.
Initially, Trump administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, admitted the deportation violated the immigration judge’s order. They described it as an administrative error. However, the White House soon withdrew this acknowledgment and declined to admit any mistake.
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About 100 protesters gathered outside the courthouse on Friday. They carried signs saying “Free Kilmar: Support Due Process and Human Rights” and “Resist ICE.” Their presence underscored public concern about immigration enforcement and human rights.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case highlights key issues in immigration law, criminal enforcement, and human rights. His defense team plans to challenge the charges vigorously. Prosecutors aim to prove he engaged in human trafficking and smuggling undocumented immigrants. The legal battle will likely continue for weeks, attracting public and media attention.
Defense attorney William Allensworth is known for representing immigrants in complex cases. He advocates for due process and fights against overreaching immigration policies. The prosecution comes from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, led by interim U.S. Attorney Robert McGuire.
The Interstate 40 traffic stop in Tennessee serves as the foundation for the criminal charges. This highway runs east to west across several states and carries heavy traffic. The prosecution relies heavily on body camera footage from local police to prove its case.
Human trafficking and immigrant smuggling fall under federal crimes enforced by the Department of Justice and agencies like Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), part of ICE.
This case also reveals ongoing tensions between federal courts and immigration enforcement. Courts often limit deportations on humanitarian grounds, but immigration agencies sometimes ignore those rulings. The Supreme Court’s order forcing the Trump administration to bring Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador shows one rare example of judicial authority checking executive power.
For public records and court filings, see the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Media outlets such as the American Immigration Council and immigration law blogs provide ongoing updates and analysis.
Abrego Garcia’s case also reflects wider political debates about immigration policy. Critics claim that Trump-era enforcement abused the rights of immigrants and used extraordinary legal measures like the Alien Enemies Act improperly.
As the case unfolds, it will remain a key example of the clash between immigration enforcement, legal protections, and human rights.
