Judge tosses federal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Politics Judge tosses federal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia By Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn Senior Reporter, Politics Melissa Quinn is a senior reporter for CBSNews.com, where she covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Read Full Bio Melissa Quinn May 22, 2026 / 3:04 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — A federal judge in Tennessee on Friday tossed out an indictment charging Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported by the Trump administration last year, with human smuggling.U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw granted Abrego Garcia's effort to dismiss the criminal charges on the grounds that the Justice Department's prosecution was vindictive and selective.The decision is a massive victory for Abrego Garcia, whose immigration case became a flashpoint in President Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown.This is a breaking news story and will be updated. .component--type-recirculation { .item:nth-child(7), .card-recirc:nth-child(7) { display: none; } } #inline-recirc-item--id-d677bac6-bb48-4388-b0b8-c9eb05544edf, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d677bac6-bb48-4388-b0b8-c9eb05544edf { display: none; } #inline-recirc-item--id-d677bac6-bb48-4388-b0b8-c9eb05544edf ~ .item:nth-child(7) { display: block; } © 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.