A federal judge is set to hear from a senior Homeland Security official regarding the future of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant at the center of a legal battle concerning former President Trump’s immigration policies. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has mandated that the Trump administration present a knowledgeable government witness to testify about the plans for Abrego Garcia, who faces potential deportation to El Salvador or another country upon his release from federal custody. The hearing will feature testimony from Thomas Giles, assistant director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Los Angeles. The Trump administration is expected to discuss the legal grounds for Abrego Garcia’s detention, the notification process, proposed custody locations, and procedural steps they intend to follow. This comes after Justice Department officials acknowledged that Abrego Garcia could be deported as early as July 16, pending a decision by a federal judge in Tennessee on whether he should be released and transferred to DHS custody. Abrego Garcia was returned to the U.S. from El Salvador in June, following a Supreme Court decision supporting Judge Xinis’s order for his return. Upon arrival, he faced federal charges related to a 2022 traffic stop. The Justice Department plans to transfer him to ICE custody and deport him, irrespective of his ongoing criminal case. Judge Xinis has expressed concerns about the timing of the federal investigation into Abrego Garcia, which began in April 2025 in Tennessee. She questioned the government’s timeline and its compliance with court orders. Justice Department attorneys have stated that they do not intend to keep Abrego Garcia in the U.S. until his trial concludes, emphasizing their plan to remove him as part of standard procedures for illegal aliens. Judge Xinis has called for this hearing to gain clarity on the government’s immediate actions regarding Abrego Garcia’s release from custody, highlighting her authority to demand testimony from witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the situation.