Judge orders tranche of documents in Kilmar Abrego Garcia case to be made public
Source: CBS News
Updated on: June 4, 2025 / 3:56 PM EDT
Washington — The federal judge overseeing the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia ordered a batch of documents to be unsealed Wednesday in response to a request from a media coalition that includes CBS News.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said seven records must be be made available on the public docket for Abrego Garcia's case, though one of the documents contains redactions. She also said the transcript from an April 30 hearing will be partially unsealed and include redactions that aim to protect potentially classified information or other sensitive material.
Xinis' order was in response to a request to unseal court records made by more than a dozen news organizations, including CBS News. The judge found that the media outlets "rightly contend that, at common law, the public enjoys a presumptive right to access court records, overcome only when outweighed by competing interests."
The Justice Department opposed the request to make the records public on two grounds: the filings in question are discovery materials that are typically not available to the press and the public; and keeping the documents sealed is needed to protect national security and prevent sensitive information from being disseminated. As to those arguments, Xinis said "neither withstand scrutiny."
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-documents-unsealed-maryland-judge/
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