A federal judge on Friday dismissed a human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, finding that the Justice Department’s pursuit of criminal charges was designed to punish him for challenging his mistaken deportation to El Salvador last year.

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw accused the Justice Department of conducting a vindictive prosecution against the Salvadoran man.

Abrego Garcia was erroneously deported to El Salvador last year due to a clerical error.