Another otherwise sane liberal was willing to fall on his sword to defend Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant, domestic abuser, and likely MS-13 gang member, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee on May 21. The indictment, which was initially sealed, was unsealed on Friday, upon his return to the U.S. The charges include unlawful transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain and conspiracy to do the same.
The indictment states that Abrego Garcia “knowingly and unlawfully transported thousands of undocumented aliens who had no authorization to be present in the United States, and many of whom were MS-13 members and associates.” The allegations involve several “alleged unnamed co-conspirators.”
During a Friday afternoon press conference, Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated that Abrego Garcia had participated in over 100 smuggling operations. She claimed that he has also “trafficked firearms and narcotics, although no charges have been brought in connection to those allegations.”
While Abrego Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty, there are numerous well-documented reasons why he should not be in this country.
In any case, Ben Schrader, the longtime Chief of the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville, opposed the indictment—believing it was politically motivated—and resigned from his position in protest.
According to ABC News, “Schrader’s resignation was prompted by concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons.”
Schrader announced his resignation on LinkedIn on or about the same day as the indictment. Because the indictment was sealed at that time, he could not refer to specifics. But he did write, “It has been an incredible privilege to serve as a prosecutor with the Department of Justice, where the only job description I’ve ever known is to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons.”
Now that the reason for his resignation has been made clear, he has received accolades from his liberal friends on social media. One user wrote, “By refusing to be part of a groundless indictment, you remained true to your principles and to those of the DOJ before it was corrupted by the Trump-Bondi regime. Thank you for your service.”
Has participation in over 100 human smuggling operations suddenly become a lawful pursuit? This person should be asking why the Biden administration told the Tennessee officers who detained Abrego Garcia in December 2022 to let him go.
A second thanked him for his “devotion to the rule of law and justice. You have the admiration and gratitude of your fellow citizens who value our Constitution.”
Schrader’s decision had nothing to do with law or justice. His resignation itself was a political decision.
But another saw things a bit more clearly. He wrote, “Of course you didn’t resign after all the other political cases against Trump though. What a fraud.”
Ben Schrader’s resignation isn’t a principled stand—it’s a partisan gesture disguised as virtue. In the face of a federal indictment alleging involvement in over 100 human smuggling operations, the real question isn’t why Schrader objected, but why the Biden administration ordered Tennessee authorities to release Abrego Garcia in the first place. While some laud Schrader for his supposed devotion to justice, his silence on politically charged prosecutions involving Trump exposes his resignation for what it truly is: selective outrage. This isn’t courage—it’s hypocrisy. And it deserves condemnation, not praise.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn or X.
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