Justice Department Appeals Dismissal of Charges Against Kilmar Ábrego García

The Justice Department has filed an appeal with the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate criminal charges against Kilmar Ábrego García, which were dismissed in May by a federal judge. The judge, Waverly David Crenshaw Jr., stated that the prosecution appeared to be vindictive, particularly in light of Ábrego's wrongful deportation to El Salvador in March 2025. The Justice Department argues that the charges of human smuggling are legitimate and not retaliatory. Ábrego was previously deported and later returned to the US following a Supreme Court order. His attorneys have criticized the appeal, asserting that the indictment was indeed vindictive and politically motivated. They also noted that Ábrego had never been charged with a crime in either the US or El Salvador and was living legally in the US at the time of his deportation.