U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks about the Federal Emergency Management Agency

A federal judge sharply criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, saying both violated court rules by making “troubling” public statements about a defendant in an ongoing criminal case.

According to Politico, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw said the officials’ remarks about Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Salvadoran man deported illegally before being returned to face smuggling charges — breached a local rule that limits commentary on active prosecutions.

“Government employees have made extrajudicial statements that are troubling, especially where many of them are exaggerated if not simply inaccurate,” Crenshaw wrote.

He said Noem described Abrego Garcia as a “MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser and child predator,” while Bondi called him “a smuggler of humans and children and women” who made “over 100 trips.”

Although Crenshaw declined to impose a gag order, he ordered prosecutors to remind every Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland (DHS) employee of the restrictions on public comment.

He warned that future breaches could bring sanctions.

The judge also criticized prosecutors for “side-stepping” earlier directives to ensure compliance and demanded copies of internal government communications about the decision to charge Abrego Garcia, saying full transparency was now required.