Updated December 11, 2025 at 3:30 PM PST

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a resident of Maryland who has become a symbol of the Trump administration's policy of mass deportations, was freed from immigration detention Thursday afternoon, his attorney confirmed to NPR.

His release came hours after a Maryland federal judge called his months-long detention "troubling" and granted his release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, Abrego Garcia's lawyer, called the ruling "an extraordinary victory for our client and for due process."

While calling the decision a "turning point" for Abrego Garcia, the attorney said he remains "mindful of the government's past conduct in this case and will stay vigilant to ensure that nothing undermines the Court's decision."

Abreg

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