A federal prosecutor testified that criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia were justified despite the two-year delay in filing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire acknowledged the timing was "extraordinary" but defended the decision based on evidence from a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop where Abrego Garcia was found with nine passengers.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen living in Maryland, faces human smuggling charges after being mistakenly deported last year and later returned to the U.S. per a Supreme Court order. Body camera footage showed a routine traffic stop where he received only a warning, yet prosecutors claim the circumstances - including the number of passengers and the vehicle's ownership - warranted charges.

The case has become politically charged, with Abrego Garcia's attorneys arguing the prosecution is vindictive retaliation for his successful deportation challenge. Judge Waverly Crenshaw previously expressed concern about statements from Trump administration officials, noting evidence that DOJ decisions may have involved multiple parties rather than McGuire acting alone.