Story perspectives

Judge Releases MS-13 Member, Sparks Trump Administration Outcry

3/18/2026

Summary

Story summary

A federal judge, Susan Richard Nelson, ordered the release of Carlos Antonio Flores-Miguel, an MS-13 member from El Salvador.
The decision drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis calling it "inexcusably reckless."
Flores-Miguel has multiple unlawful entries into the United States and was deported previously.
The ruling underscores immigration-policy tensions after a federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to deport immigrants abroad.

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Story summary

A federal judge, Susan Richard Nelson, ordered the release of Carlos Antonio Flores-Miguel, an MS-13 member from El Salvador.
The decision drew criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis calling it "inexcusably reckless."
Flores-Miguel has multiple unlawful entries into the United States and was deported previously.
The ruling underscores immigration-policy tensions after a federal appeals court allowed the Trump administration to deport immigrants abroad.