Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant who had previously been deported to El Salvador, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of human trafficking and conspiracy during an arraignment in Tennessee on Friday.
Garcia’s defense team confirmed to U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes that they had reviewed the indictment and that Garcia understood the accusations against him before entering the plea.
The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop and include allegations that Garcia trafficked unauthorized migrants and conspired with others to do so, according to Fox News.
Garcia’s legal situation has drawn national attention, largely due to a legal battle over his deportation and efforts by the Trump administration to block his return despite a Supreme Court order earlier this year requiring his release.
His attorneys filed a motion Wednesday requesting Garcia’s release from custody while awaiting trial. They argued that the government’s claims regarding his gang affiliation and flight risk were unsubstantiated.
“Mr. Abrego Garcia asks the Court for what he has been denied the past several months – due process,” the filing stated. His legal team asserted that he had not engaged in international travel and posed no flight risk.
The defense has also disputed claims that Garcia