News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
‘A stain on the Constitution’: Abrego Garcia lawyers refuse to drop his case against U.S.
by Ariana Figueroa, Arkansas Advocate
June 9, 2025
WASHINGTON — Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the wrongly deported Maryland man who has now been returned to the United States, are pushing to keep his civil case open in pursuit of sanctions against the Trump administration for refusing to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.
“Until the Government is held accountable for its blatant, willful, and persistent violations of court orders at excruciating cost to Abrego Garcia and his family, this case is not over,” according to the brief by Abrego Garcia’s attorneys filed Sunday.
“The executive branch’s wanton disregard for the judicial branch has left a stain on the Constitution,” they wrote. “If there is to be any hope of removing that stain, it must start by shining a light on the improper actions of the Government in this tragic affair and imposing meaningful remedies.”
The Trump administration on Friday moved to dismiss the civil suit filed in federal district court in Maryland, arguing it is moot after Abrego Garica landed in the U.S. to face criminal charges for “alien smuggling.”
A May 21 two-count Tennessee grand jury indictment, unsealed Friday, accused Abrego Garcia of conspiracy to unlawfully transport undocumented people for profit and the unlawful transportation of undocumented people between 2016 and 2025. The indictment also accused him of being a member of the MS-13 gang.
His attorneys have disputed those charges.
Department of Justice lawyers also moved to deny Abrego Garcia bond, on the grounds that he is a flight risk and poses a danger to the community.
If convicted, Abrego Garcia could face up to 10 years in prison for each undocumented person transported.
“Accordingly, the sentencing exposure for the defendant – given the number of undocumented aliens involved – goes well beyond the remainder of the defendant’s life,” Robert E. McGuire, acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, wrote.
Deported to CECOT
The civil suit was brought by Abrego Garcia’s family after he was arrested by immigration officials in March and swiftly put on a deportation plane to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador, despite having protections against removal to his home country since 2019.
Abrego Garcia’s arrest in March was not due to any criminal charges, but he was informed his immigration status had changed. The Trump administration has admitted his initial deportation to the brutal CECOT prison was an “administrative error,” but has maintained Abrego Garcia was in the custody of El Salvador and could not be brought back.
Trump officials, including President Donald Trump, repeatedly said that Abrego Garica would not return to the U.S. and the president seemed upset with the news of his return on Friday.
“He should have never had to be returned,” Trump said in a gaggle with reporters on Air Force One Friday night. “It’s a disaster.”
On Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi thanked El Salvador President Nayib Bukele after the Trump administration presented an arrest warrant for Abrego Garcia.
‘Determined stalling campaign’
The Trump administration argued that because Abrego Garcia was brought back to the U.S. on Friday, the civil case is moot.
But his attorneys argue that Abrego Garcia was not brought back to Maryland due to court orders – even as high as the Supreme Court – but “rather to Tennessee so that he could be charged with a crime in a case that the Government only developed while it was under threat of sanctions.”
“Two things are now crystal clear. First, the Government has always had the ability to return Abrego Garcia, but it has simply refused to do so,” according to the brief. “Second, the Government has conducted a determined stalling campaign to stave off contempt sanctions long enough to concoct a politically face-saving exit from its own predicament.”
Maryland District Court Judge Paula Xinis, who has handled the high-profile case since March, has granted Abrego Garcia’s attorneys until Wednesday to file their request for sanctions against the Trump administration.
Abrego Garcia’s attorneys said they want to push forward with discovery documents because they “are finally on the verge of securing answers from knowledgeable officials about what the Government actually did or did not do to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return.”
Abrego Garcia will be arraigned before a federal court in Nashville on Friday.
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post ‘A stain on the Constitution’: Abrego Garcia lawyers refuse to drop his case against U.S. appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This content presents a critical perspective on the Trump administration’s handling of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation and subsequent legal challenges. It highlights alleged government misconduct, court disputes, and the efforts of the attorneys to hold the administration accountable while including detailed legal arguments and responses from government officials. The analysis tends to emphasize concerns over executive overreach and the protection of individual rights, reflecting a center-left viewpoint without veering into extreme partisanship.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Camden officials react to murder of small town teenager
SUMMARY: Eighteen-year-old Braden Robersonson was found dead near Camden, Arkansas, after disappearing last Thursday. The community is deeply shaken by the tragedy, especially since Camden is a small town of about 10,000 people where everyone’s lives intersect. Three individuals—Bryson Vaughn, Melanie Pipkin, and Cameron Hildebrand—have been arrested and charged with capital murder and tampering with evidence. Local officials and residents are mourning the loss and emphasizing respect for the family’s privacy while coming together to support each other. A candlelight vigil is planned at Timothy Methodist Park to honor Braden’s memory.
People in the small town of Camden are mourning after the body an 18-year-old was found in a wooded area just outside of town.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Devil’s Den killings: Search For Killer Continues
SUMMARY: Police continue searching for the killer in the Devil’s Den double homicide that claimed the lives of Clinton and Cristen Brink on Saturday afternoon. Arkansas State Police released a new suspect sketch. Criminology expert Dr. Brown noted the crime’s remote location—lacking cell reception—helped the suspect evade immediate capture. Signs like the suspect covering their license plate suggest premeditation. The victims were attacked with a knife on a hiking trail, indicating the attacker likely has violent experience. Due to vague descriptions and the area’s demographics, Dr. Brown expects the investigation to be lengthy, potentially lasting months or years.
Devil’s Den killings: Search For Killer Continues
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News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Federal judge issues new order protecting all Planned Parenthood clinics from Medicaid ‘defunding’
by Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Arkansas Advocate
July 28, 2025
Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide are once again protected from a “defunding” provision passed by Congress after a federal judge in Massachusetts granted an emergency request for a new preliminary injunction.
The order from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama, comes one week after an initial injunction blocked only certain clinics from receiving Medicaid funds under the new law. One of the affiliates that filed the lawsuit, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, along with affiliates that did not provide abortion services or that did not bill Medicaid more than $800,000 in fiscal year 2023 were protected, which covered a fraction of the 600 clinics nationwide.
In the weeks since President Donald Trump signed massive budget reconciliation bill H.R. 1 on July 4, the mere threat of cuts has caused clinics to close or restrict services in several states. Two clinics shut their doors in rural areas of Ohio, two closed in the Houston area of Texas, and five closed in California, according to news reports. In California alone, the Medicaid cuts would create a loss of $300 million in funding for the state’s 114 clinics that serve more than 1 million patients per year, according to CalMatters.
In Washington state, where abortion access is legal and available until fetal viability, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced on July 9 that the state would provide the $11 million in federal funding lost if the lawsuit is unsuccessful. There are 30 Planned Parenthood clinics in Washington that serve 10,000 patients every year, and Medicaid covers about half of them, Washington State Standard reported.
The national group, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said the initial decision was disappointing and asked the court to reconsider, which Talwani granted Monday.
Attorneys for the Trump administration appealed the initial injunction on July 23, and told the court they opposed the emergency request for a new injunction.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America and affiliates in Massachusetts and Utah sued just a few days after Congress passed the bill that included the provision the organization said directly targeted their services for Medicaid funding cuts — a longstanding goal of anti-abortion advocates and many Republican elected officials. Federal Medicaid dollars cannot be used for abortion services except in cases of rape, incest, or certain health conditions.
The clinics rely heavily on Medicaid funding to provide standard reproductive health care at little to no cost, including treatment for sexually transmitted infections, cancer screenings and contraception. Planned Parenthood provides services for about 2 million patients every year, and 64% of clinics are in rural areas or places with health care provider shortages.
In the order, Talwani said the law — part of a sweeping package of tax and spending cuts approved by a party-line vote — unfairly targets Planned Parenthood for punishment without a trial, and violates free speech constitutional rights by preventing the organization from advocating for reproductive health care.
Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice have argued Congress was free to target those clinics because “larger providers carry out more abortions and receive more government subsidies,” and said the law is meant to “stop federal subsidies for Big Abortion.” Talwani said those arguments were not persuasive, and that it is unlikely they can justify the defunding as part of a goal to reduce abortion.
“… it is unclear how including only entities that are non-profits and provide medical services in underserved communities is in any way related to reducing abortion. Nor is it clear how withholding Medicaid reimbursements from Planned Parenthood Members who do not provide abortion furthers that end,” Talwani wrote.
Dominique Lee, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, called the ruling a “powerful reminder that patients, not politics, should guide health care.”
Lee said in a statement: “In Massachusetts and beyond, we will keep fighting to ensure everyone can turn to the provider they trust, no matter their insurance or zip code.”
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post Federal judge issues new order protecting all Planned Parenthood clinics from Medicaid ‘defunding’ appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This article presents a perspective aligned with progressive and pro-choice viewpoints, focusing on the challenges faced by Planned Parenthood amid federal funding cuts. It highlights judicial rulings protecting the organization and emphasizes the impact on reproductive health services, often associated with center-left political priorities. The language is sympathetic to Planned Parenthood, framing the funding cuts as politically motivated and harmful to healthcare access, which aligns with typical Democratic and liberal advocacy. However, it maintains factual reporting and includes opposing viewpoints, such as the Justice Department’s legal arguments, keeping the tone professional without overt editorializing.
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