Ximena Bustillo

Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

Judge Palazzini's in Maryland extended a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Homeland Security Department from placing Abrego-Garcia in immigration detention.

She gave the government attorneys until later this week to explain what they'd do should she lift that order.

Ziniz issued the protection order earlier this month and also granted Abrego-Garcia's petition to be released from custody.

Abrego-Garcia, who entered the U.S.

illegally, had been living in Maryland but was deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador by mistake.

The government eventually brought him back to the U.S.

and charged him with human smuggling.

Abrego Garcia denies those allegations and is fighting this and his immigration case across several courts.

Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

Judge Palazzini of Maryland said that the government's arguments to keep him detained were, quote, troubling and that he had no current pending removal order to justify keeping him detained.

Remember, this was a man who'd been living in the U.S.

for more than 10 years.

In 2019, he

An immigration judge had ruled that Abrego Garcia could not be removed to El Salvador, where he had argued that he could be tortured or persecuted.

Then he was arrested and detained by immigration officers in Maryland earlier this year.

But the Trump administration deported him to El Salvador, sending him to a notorious prison there.

After months of public outcry, the administration brought Abrego Garcia back and immediately charged him with human smuggling.

in a separate case.

He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.