A federal judge in Tennessee dismissed the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia on Friday, ruling that the Trump administration's immigrant smuggling prosecution amounted to vindictive retaliation.

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw granted Abrego Garcia's motion to dismiss the charges, concluding that the government would not have brought the case absent the defendant's successful lawsuit challenging his removal to El Salvador. The judge described the prosecution as an abuse of power.

"The objective evidence here shows that, absent Abrego’s successful lawsuit challenging his removal to El Salvador, the Government would not have brought this prosecution," Crenshaw wrote in his opinion.

The charges stemmed from allegations of human smuggling. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, had been deported to El Salvador last year in what officials later described as a mistaken action. He challenged the deportation in court and secured an order facilitating his return to the United States.

Following his return, federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee filed the criminal case. Abrego Garcia's attorneys argued the timing and statements by administration officials demonstrated selective or vindictive prosecution. Crenshaw agreed, rejecting claims of new evidence as justification for the charges.

The dismissal ends the criminal proceedings without a trial. Abrego Garcia had remained free pending the outcome.

The ruling comes amid ongoing scrutiny of immigration enforcement actions during the Trump administration, including several high-profile deportation cases that faced legal challenges.