Judge Paula Xinis extended a restraining order preventing the arrest of Kilmar Abrego Garcia after accusing the government of misleading the court regarding his deportation options. Xinis expressed sharp frustration with the DOJ for falsely claiming Costa Rica was unavailable while threatening to remove Abrego Garcia to various African nations. The Salvadoran national, who was erroneously deported once before, remains on supervised release while facing human smuggling charges in Tennessee.Abrego Garcia and his legal team have expressed readiness to depart for Costa Rica immediately, though the government has persistently refused to acknowledge it as a viable removal option. Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg argued that the government's aim appeared punitive, as they ignored his client's existing refugee status in Costa Rica to pursue deportation to Africa. The court has demanded a definitive deportation plan by late December to resolve the irregular and extraordinary legal situation.The case has drawn significant attention due to previous government errors, including the unauthorized 2019 deportation that saw Abrego Garcia imprisoned in El Salvador. While he awaits further court developments in Maryland and Tennessee, he remains under supervision with electronic monitoring. Supporters gathered outside the federal court to protest the administration's conduct as Xinis warned officials she was losing patience with their lack of transparency.