Legal AF by MeidasTouch Network

Episode: "Trump DOJ Shredded in Court by Pissed Off Judge"

Date: November 24, 2025
Hosts: Michael Popok (primary speaker), part of the MeidasTouch Network team

Overview

This episode zeroes in on explosive developments in a high-profile immigration and civil rights case involving Kilmer Abrego Garcia—a man entangled in Trump-era prosecutorial actions. Host Michael Popok breaks down a pivotal evidentiary hearing before Maryland federal Judge Zinnis, who openly challenged the Department of Justice's credibility, expressed outrage at apparent government misconduct, and indicated she may fashion an extraordinary remedy for the abuses suffered by Abrego Garcia. The analysis provides sharp legal insight and paints a damning picture of the government’s case, while forecasting possible bold action by the court.

Key Discussion Points & Legal Analysis

1. The Backstory: Abrego Garcia's Legal Ordeal

• Kilmer Abrego Garcia: Labeled the "poster child for Donald Trump's torture campaign without due process against migrants."
• Victim of removal and detention under orders heavily criticized for lack of legal process.
• Detained for months in a Virginia ICE facility, after being the subject of a complicated web of criminal and civil cases.
• Criminal prosecution in Tennessee: Host Michael Popok describes it as "fabricated" and labels it "vindictive prosecution" ([02:23]).
• Willingness to relocate to Costa Rica: Abrego Garcia, a Spanish speaker with family nearby, wanted to go there, only to be refused and slated for removal to Liberia instead—a move characterized by Popok as punitive retaliation.

2. The Explosive Hearing Before Judge Zinnis

Department of Justice Testimony Deemed Worthless

• Key Takeaway: Judge Zinnis gave zero credence to the testimonies of government witnesses, especially John Cantu (ICE head of removal operations).
  • "She didn't believe any of the witnesses. She said out loud, they're effectively, they are worth zero to her." ([01:49])
  • Cantu had “never read the sworn declaration in writing that was filed in her courtroom”; lacked personal knowledge across critical areas ([04:52]).
• Judge labeled DoJ’s documentation as an “empty word salad declaration” ([10:27]).

Procedural Bombshell: No Final Removal Order

• Judge Zinnis focused on the absence of any final removal order from an immigration judge, a requirement for continued detention and deportation ([05:51]).
  • "If there's no final order, he's not going anywhere." ([01:49])
• Even government attorneys conceded they couldn’t produce the required order.

Retaliation Concerns & Government Motives

• Retaliatory use of prosecution and removal powers:
  • Quotes Abrego Garcia’s defense counsel: “The timeline suggests a pattern. When the government received orders it disliked ... it initiated a criminal prosecution in retaliation. And when it received orders it disliked ... it initiated third country removal efforts in retaliation.” ([09:13])
• Judge Zinnis called the government's story “so odd” and openly expressed skepticism at their reasons for preferring Liberia over Costa Rica ([10:27]).
• Liberia’s own ambiguous offer—“temporarily” accepting Abrego Garcia—adds further legal murkiness.

3. The Judge’s Possible Next Moves

• Popok argues for Judge Zinnis not only to halt removal but to grant asylum directly under her equitable federal powers as a remedy for Trump-era abuses.

  • "I think Judge Zinnis should grant him under her equitable powers, the asylum for the abuse that was heaped on him by the Trump administration." ([02:46])
  • “Let him walk out the front door and reunite with his family. That’s what should happen.” ([11:49])

• Prognosis for Appeals:

  • Popok forecasts that the government would likely appeal such a bold order but recounts that Judge Zinnis has already been twice affirmed by the Fourth Circuit and 9-0 by the U.S. Supreme Court in this very matter ([12:34]).
  • He asserts: “My odds and my bet is with Judge Zinnis, not with the Department of Justice, who in her mind presented word salad witnesses with zero credibility or knowledge and were a big zilch for her in terms of trying to decide this case.” ([13:05])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DoJ Witnesses:
  • "[Judge Zinnis] said out loud, they're effectively, they are worth zero to her..." ([01:49])
• On the lack of final order:
  • “If there's no final order, he's not going anywhere.” ([01:49])
• On government’s reasoning for Liberia:
  • "That's not good enough for Judge Zinnis. She said the whole thing doesn't make any sense. The whole timeline doesn't make any sense. And the witnesses for the Department of Justice aren't helping her get to the bottom of it. And that's pissing her off." ([05:41])
• On possible judicial remedy:
  • "I think Judge Zinnis should grant him under her equitable powers, the asylum for the abuse that was heaped on him by the Trump administration." ([02:46])
  • “Let him walk out the front door and reunite with his family. That’s what should happen.” ([11:49])
• On Judge Zinnis’ track record:
  • "Judge Zinnis has been right every time. She got upheld twice by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals...and she was affirmed 9-0 by the United States Supreme Court already in this case." ([12:34])
• On the burden shifting to the government:
  • "...the burden has shifted already to the government to prove by at least a preponderance of the evidence that their decision making around sending him to Liberia instead of Costa Rica...is legitimate and in good faith." ([13:25])

Important Timestamps

• 01:47 — Case introduction and Judge Zinnis' reaction to DoJ testimony
• 04:52 — Dissection of government witnesses' lack of knowledge
• 05:41 — Judge Zinnis’ open frustration and skepticism
• 09:13 — Defense allegations of retaliatory prosecution and removal
• 10:27 — Judge characterizes DoJ’s statements as “empty word salad declaration”
• 11:49 — Host’s argument for judicial asylum as remedy
• 12:34 — Track record of Judge Zinnis and prospect of appeals
• 13:25 — Burden of proof now lies with government

Flow and Tone

The episode is marked by Michael Popok’s pointed, often impassioned legal commentary. He uses strong, direct language that frames the conduct of the Trump DOJ as abusive, retaliatory, and lacking in basic procedural fairness. Judge Zinnis is portrayed as no-nonsense, skeptical, and driven by a sense of justice—a tone that keeps the legal analysis both lively and accessible.

Summary

This "Legal AF" episode unpacks the dramatic unraveling of the Trump DOJ’s case against Kilmer Abrego Garcia before a critical federal judge. With the government’s case falling apart, the judge appears poised to issue a bold remedy—possibly granting asylum outright as punishment for documented past abuses. The analysis, rooted in both legal rigor and righteous indignation, frames Judge Zinnis as a bulwark against executive overreach and spotlights both the legal deficiencies and human cost of Trump-era immigration tactics. Popok leaves listeners with the sense that justice—after years of struggle—may finally be served in this case.