Federal Authorities Detain Kilmer Abrego Garcia
Early Monday morning, federal immigration agents took Kilmer Abrego Garcia into custody, moving forward with plans to deport him, potentially to Africa or Central America.
Garcia, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was apprehended after checking in at a detention facility in Baltimore, Maryland. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Salvadoran nationals have become a prominent focus of the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, especially after many were sent back earlier this year. Many of them are now facing human smuggling allegations.
DHS Chief Secretary Christi Noem announced on Monday, “Today, ICE has arrested Kilmer Abrego Garcia and is preparing for his deportation. President Trump is committed to ensuring that this illegal immigrant, a known MS-13 gang member with a history of domestic abuse and child predation, is no longer a threat to American citizens.”
Before entering the ICE office, Garcia addressed supporters outside. He expressed, “This administration has caused significant hardship with family separations and threats of separation, but I want to share something important.” He spoke in Spanish, asking for an English translation, and continued, “God is with us and will never abandon us. Justice will come for the injustices we endure.”
Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sula, had accused him of domestic abuse prior to his initial deportation from the U.S. He had lived in the country unlawfully for several years before being sent back to El Salvador in March, where he briefly resided in the notorious Secotte Mega Prison. His case gained attention when it was revealed a judge had previously granted him a stay against deportation, prompting protests from Democrats advocating for his return.
In June, the Trump administration reversed course, allowing Garcia to return to face human smuggling charges. He reportedly traveled over 100 times within the U.S. while allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants, drugs, and firearms.
Charges related to human smuggling stemmed from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. Officers grew suspicious of Garcia when they noticed that none of the eight other passengers had luggage, leading to his arrest.
Garcia was released from a Tennessee state jail on Friday and returned to Baltimore. Federal immigration officials presented him with options: he could be deported to Costa Rica or face deportation to Uganda after pleading guilty to human smuggling charges.
