Obama judge rules ICE can’t detain ‘Maryland Man’ again

A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama has issued a ruling protecting Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis accused President Donald Trump’s administration of attempting to “rewrite the history of this case” and barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from placing Abrego Garcia back in immigration detention.

“Xinis said that although all parties had agreed to a retroactive correction of the record in Abrego Garcia’s immigration case, that ‘the ‘removal period’ for which Abrego Garcia’s detention had been compelled was over long ago,'” The Hill reported.

“Respondents’ reading would also conveniently erase this last year of Abrego Garcia’s Detention,” she said, explaining that the “Maryland Man” had been in custody for a long period of time, including his deportation to El Salvador. She added that the administration “cannot alter substantive rights or rewrite history.”

“And since August 2025, Respondents have refused to procure Abrego Garcia’s immediate removal to Costa Rica in favor of phantom removals to three (maybe four) African countries. Indeed, since Abrego Garcia secured his release from criminal custody in August 2025, Respondents have made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success,” Xinis added. “At the same time, Respondents purposely—and for no reason—ignored the one country that has consistently offered to accept Abrego Garcia as a refugee, and to which he agrees to go.”

X users reacted to the story, offering a mix of perspectives on the news:

So skip the detainment and just deport him

— John Doe🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇺🇦🇮🇱🇨🇳🇷🇺🇯🇴🌈⚧️✊🏿💉 (@JohnDoeNPC) February 18, 2026

So we have no laws.

Good to know.

At least I have guns!

— Phloog the Gaming Gatekeeper (@JPhloog) February 18, 2026

What an embarrassment for this judge to protect a wife beating gang banger. Just to do the opposite of a president

— Edith (@Edith83120) February 18, 2026

Democrats can’t stop enabling the criminal element.

— 700R (@700R____) February 18, 2026

A judge who would be a king (“No Kings”) decides that an MS-13 banger can’t be returned to his home country, eh? Am I supposed to be surprised?

— Doug (@Obi_Wan_Gump) February 18, 2026

It’s an embarrassment to the United States at this point. These far left Judges are just sticking it in the eye of the American people. I don’t know why the left chose this guy as their poster boy, but him in every GOP mid-term election ad, this is who the Democrats care about.

— Johnny Flyover 🇺🇸 (@JohnFlyover) February 18, 2026

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