A man deported to El Salvador after facing allegations of gang membership and domestic violence has become the center of a political firestorm.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29, was deported last month from Maryland to the “Terrorism Confinement Center” (CECOT), an El Salvadoran prison known for housing high-risk criminals. Court records obtained by Fox News reveal a troubling history involving violence and suspected gang ties.
According to filings in Prince George’s County, Maryland district court, Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, detailed repeated instances of physical abuse in her own handwriting. The allegations stated:
“At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me.”
Vasquez’s filing further alleged that Abrego Garcia had punched and scratched her, causing bleeding around her eye, and damaged her laptop by throwing it on the floor. She also recounted two separate incidents in 2020 where she was struck – once with a work boot in November and another time to the eye, leaving a visible bruise in August.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released documents supporting the deportation, claiming Abrego Garcia is an active member of MS-13. These documents indicate that Prince George’s County Police discovered him loitering near a Home Depot with other known gang members and illicit drugs during a murder investigation in 2019.
A confidential informant identified Abrego Garcia as “Chele,” holding the rank of “Chequeo” within the “Westerns” clique, confirming his alleged status in the notorious MS-13 gang.
The case has ignited controversy, with some Democrats arguing that Garcia was wrongly deported and advocating for his return to the United States.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) recently traveled to El Salvador to visit Abrego Garcia in prison, prompting criticism from many. One particularly poignant voice in the opposition came from the mother of Rachel Morrin, a Maryland woman who was tragically raped and murdered by a Salvadoran national in 2023.
“To have a senator from Maryland…use my taxpayer money to fly to El Salvador to bring back someone that’s not even an American citizen. Why does that person have more rights than I do, or my daughter, or my grandchildren?” she questioned.
DHS has firmly rejected the narrative of Abrego Garcia as a victim and emphasized his history of violence and alleged gang affiliation. They point to Vasquez’s domestic violence restraining order request as further evidence, claiming he “punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt.”
Court documents also reveal that in 2019, Abrego Garcia admitted to entering the U.S. illegally after walking across the desert from Mexico.
A federal immigration court affirmed his deportation eligibility, stating he “failed to meet his burden of demonstrating that his release from custody would not pose a danger to others.”
DHS has been vocal in their stance, asserting:
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member involved in human trafficking who entered the United States illegally.
- His deportation was inevitable.
- Senator Van Hollen’s actions prioritize a suspected gang member over the safety of American constituents and victims of violent crime.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “He should be in this El Salvador prison, prison for terrorists.”
