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Documents Reveal Details in Deportation of Maryland Man to El Salvador
Newly disclosed documents from the Trump administration shed light on the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident erroneously deported to El Salvador a month prior. Government legal counsel termed the action an “administrative error,” prompting significant scrutiny and demands for clarification.
Government Responds to Pressure, Releases Records on Abrego Garcia Deportation
Under mounting pressure to substantiate claims that Abrego Garcia was affiliated with the MS-13 gang, the Justice Department released previously unpublicized records. The Trump administration had deported him to a high-security El Salvador prison as part of its initiative targeting alleged criminal deportations. These records detail a 2019 Maryland police assessment that labeled Abrego Garcia as an MS-13 gang member during an arrest.
2019 Arrest and Gang Allegations Unveiled in Police Document
According to a document titled “gang field interview sheet” from the Prince George’s County Police Department, officers approached Abrego Garcia with three others in March 2019 for loitering in a Hyattsville Home Depot parking lot. Abrego Garcia stated in court filings he was seeking day labor opportunities there.
- Police described his attire as a “Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie with rolls of money covering the eyes, ears and mouth of the presidents” on the bills.
- Officers interpreted this imagery as “indicative of the Hispanic gang culture,” representing “ver, oir, y callar” or “see no evil, hear no evil and say no evil.”
- The report states a “reliable confidential source” identified Abrego Garcia as holding the rank of ‘Chequeo’ with the moniker ‘Chele’ within the gang.
Despite having no prior criminal record, as acknowledged in the documents, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have consistently refuted any gang membership allegations.
Legal Proceedings and Contradictory Claims
Following the 2019 encounter, Abrego Garcia was transferred to immigration authorities and navigated subsequent legal processes. An immigration judge initially blocked his deportation to El Salvador in 2019. Citing a “well-founded fear of future persecution” from local gangs, the court granted him “withholding of removal,” allowing temporary US residency and work authorization.
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Re-arrest and Deportation Spark Legal Battle
Years later, immigration agents apprehended Abrego Garcia in an Ikea parking lot in 2025. He was deported to El Salvador within days, on March 15, despite the prior ruling. The Supreme Court recently mandated the government to “facilitate” his release from the Salvadoran prison. However, El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele has indicated he will not comply with the release order.
Attorneys Criticize Government Actions, Emphasize Due Process
Responding to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) social media posts, Abrego Garcia’s legal team emphasized the critical importance of due process, legal representation, and government adherence to the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision.
Homeland Security Secretary Comments on Gang Member narratives
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that mainstream media disproportionately focuses on “sob stories of gang members and criminal illegals and not enough about their victims.”
Details from 2019 Arrest: Gang Affiliations and Immigration Status Examined
Police reports from the 2019 arrest also indicated that two other individuals present with Abrego Garcia in the Home Depot parking were identified as gang members. This assessment was based on one man’s criminal history and another’s tattoos, along with information sourced from a “past proven and reliable source.”
The documents further noted that all four individuals identified as El Salvadorian citizens and were “present in the United States illegally” without possessing immigration documentation.
Document Discrepancies and Murder Investigation Claim
An additional DHS document from 2019 suggested police had identified two of the men, including Abrego Garcia, as having been previously detained in a murder investigation. Abrego Garcia denied any connection to a murder investigation, and the documents confirm he was never formally charged.
Contradiction in DHS Document
A noted contradiction within the DHS document reveals conflicting statements regarding Abrego Garcia’s fear of returning to El Salvador. One section states he did not express such fear, while another section indicates he did.
The document acknowledges Abrego Garcia’s claim of providing sufficient evidence to refute gang allegations, including character references and a clean criminal record, excluding minor traffic violations.
Immigration Court Decision and “Trustworthy” Gang Allegations
In a Justice Department document from the Executive Office of Immigration Review, a court upheld the denial of bond for Abrego Garcia following his 2019 arrest. The court found the gang membership allegation “appears to be trustworthy and is supported by other evidence in the record,” referencing Prince George’s County police documentation.
The document acknowledged an inconsistency, noting that “The reason for the Respondent’s arrest given on his Form 1-213 does appear at odds with the Gang Field Interview Sheet,” which cited loitering as the initial reason for approaching Abrego Garcia. However, the court maintained its finding regarding the credibility of the gang membership allegations.
Abrego Garcia countered that “there is no reliable evidence in the record to support” his MS-13 membership and characterized the allegation as “based on hearsay relayed by a confidential source.”
Domestic Incident and Protective Order Dismissal
Separately, DHS publicized on social media that Abrego Garcia’s wife had sought a temporary protective order against him in 2021. The case was subsequently dismissed. Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego Garcia’s wife, has been a prominent and steadfast advocate for her husband’s return.
Wife’s Statement on Protective Order
Vasquez Sura explained the protective order, stating, “After surviving domestic violence in a previous relationship, I acted out of caution after a disagreement with Kilmar by seeking a civil protective order in case things escalated. Things did not escalate, and I decided not to follow through with the civil court process.”
She added, “No one is perfect, and no marriage is perfect. That is not a justification for ICE’s action of abducting him and deporting him to a country where he was supposed to be protected from deportation.”
Ongoing Legal Battle and Court Orders
The Trump administration, Abrego Garcia’s legal team, and an appeals court judge remain engaged in legal proceedings concerning the Supreme Court’s directive for the government to facilitate his release.
The Trump administration filed an appeal Wednesday afternoon against Judge Paula Xinis’s order, directing them to “take all available steps to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia to the United States as soon as possible.”
Judge Xinis has questioned the evidentiary basis used by an immigration judge to classify Abrego Garcia as a gang member. She stated in a ruling that he lacks a criminal record in both the US and El Salvador and that the “‘evidence’ against Abrego Garcia consisted only of his Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie, and a vague, uncorroborated allegation from a confidential informant claiming he belonged to MS-13’s ‘Western’ clique in New York — a place he has never lived.”
Judge Considers Contempt Proceedings Over Government Inaction
Judge Xinis indicated on Tuesday she was contemplating contempt proceedings against the Trump administration. She criticized the government’s insufficient response to her order to provide evidence of efforts to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release. “I’ve gotten nothing,” Xinis stated. “I’ve gotten no real response and no real legal justification for not answering.”
Government Status Update Cites Existing Law and Regulation
In a court-mandated daily status update, DHS general counsel Joseph Mazzara wrote, “Given the government’s prior clear and unequivocal notice to the court regarding how the government will facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return within the counters of existing law and regulation, there are no further updates.”