Kilmar Abrego Garcia appeared in a Tennessee courtroom Friday, hours after he was brought back to the U.S. to face charges of transporting undocumented migrants.

He made his initial court appearance Friday evening in the Middle District of Tennessee, answering “Yes, I understand” in Spanish when U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes asked him if he understood the charges against him.

Judge Homes set a hearing for June 13, where Abrego Garcia will be arraigned on charges and the judge will take up the government’s motion to hold him in pre-trial detention on the grounds that he “poses a danger to the community and a serious risk of flight” He will remain in federal custody in Tennessee pending next week’s hearing.

“If convicted at trial, the defendant faces a maximum punishment of 10 years’ imprisonment for ‘each alien’ he transported,” said the government’s motion for detention, which also contained an allegation – not included in the indictment – that one of Abrego Garcia’s co-conspirators told authorities that Abrego Garcia participated in the murder of a rival gang member’s mother in El Salvador.

  • ChucklestheclownEnglish
    1·
    7 days ago

    The owner of the vehicle has stated that Kilmer was trafficking people for him, including women and children. The owner is a known trafficker of people. That is VERY strong evidence against Kilmer. They didn’t refuse to return him. He has returned to the United States.

    • nieminen@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      7 days ago

      The owner of the vehicle has stated that Kilmer was trafficking people for him

      Where?

      Also, KilmAr not kilmEr.

        • nieminen@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          7 days ago

          Well that’s more credible than all the previous stuff. Feels like hearsay but that’s not for me to decide.

          • ChucklestheclownEnglish
            1·
            7 days ago

            First person testimony isn’t hearsay. It’s actually the exact opposite. It’s direct evidence.

            • nieminen@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              7 days ago

              “Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of whatever it asserts, which is then offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter.”

              He’s not in court, but neither is Kilmar, so I think you’re right that hearsay doesn’t apply (at least not yet)

              I guess if the boss testifies, it’s testimony. 🤷 I’m not a lawyer for a reason.

              • ChucklestheclownEnglish
                1·
                7 days ago

                It would’ve be hearsay. Hearsay is when you didn’t witness something. It’s called direct evidence. Hearsay is you tell me that you heard from Bob he did the crime. I then go to court and repeat that statement. That’s hearsay as nobody can be questioned over the statement. The employer is saying he will testify against Kilmer. That’s hard evidence to overcome when you look at the Totality of the evidence. He’s being charged with 8 counts with each count carrying 10 years. So he’s looking at just 80 years for that alone.

                Let me ask you this. Why isn’t anyone focusing on the gay hair stylist? That man seems to be a legit injustice and everyone focuses on the gang banger traffiicking people.

                The hair stylist is a much larger injustice. He seemed to have a legit reason to be here, no ties to gangs and he was hauled off to cecot. I get mistakes happen but he should be back

                • nieminen@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  6 days ago

                  Totally agree with you on the last point. So many people have been kidnapped and shipped out without any due process, some of them have had their immigration status deliberately changed.

                  • ChucklestheclownEnglish
                    1·
                    6 days ago

                    The government is allowed to change the status. The laws allow it in many scenarios.

                    Trump isn’t the villain. If anything he’s shown our immigration laws suck.

                    I am against illegal immigration but pro-immigration. It needs to reformed. That’s the job of Congress.

                    Also people need to make some noise for the hair stylist. Maybe more will come out but so far he seems like an legit injustice

    • warbond@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      7 days ago

      I don’t give a shit if he murdered a man in cold blood on the streets of New York, he’s innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.