Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a construction worker from Maryland, has pleaded not guilty to charges of human smuggling in a federal court in Tennessee. His lawyers argue that these charges are an attempt to justify his wrongful deportation to El Salvador in March. The case began after the Supreme Court ordered his return, following increasing pressure. Abrego Garcia’s defense team questioned the trustworthiness of government witnesses, suggesting they cooperated in exchange for immigration benefits. The charges originated from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was driving nine passengers, which led authorities to suspect smuggling. Despite these suspicions, he was allowed to leave with only a warning. Before the hearing, U.S. attorneys portrayed Abrego Garcia as a threat to the community and a flight risk, accusing him of trafficking drugs and firearms, and mistreating women he transported. These charges resulted in the resignation of Ben Schrader, who was formerly the chief of the criminal division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.