Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the immigrant at the heart of dispute over Trump's mass deportations, pleaded not guilty to human smuggling.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported earlier this year and later returned to the United States, pleaded not guilty Friday to federal human smuggling charges.

The judge did not rule immediately on whether he will stay in custody while he awaits trial, the latest event in a monthslong back-and-forth since he was erroneously sent to a prison in El Salvador.