Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an illegal alien removed from the U.S. to his native El Salvador earlier this year, has been brought back to the U.S. following legal challenges to his deportation.
But the Trump administration is welcoming Abrego Garcia back from a Salvadoran prison to the U.S. with an indictment from the Justice Department charging him with human trafficking.
Abrego Garcia, 29, has been charged with unlawful transportation of illegal aliens and conspiracy to illegally transport illegal immigrants for money, according to the indictment obtained by Fox News. The outlet reports that minors are alleged to be among those Abrego Garcia trafficked. The indictment, filed under seal last month, includes two felony counts.
The illegal alien’s return follows a court order that the Trump administration “facilitate” bringing him back to the U.S.
“For the past two months, the media and Democrats have burned to the ground any last shred of credibility they had left by glorifying Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a known MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, and serial domestic abuser,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X on Friday.
“Today, the United States of America confronts Kilmar Abrego Garcia with overwhelming evidence. He is being indicted by a grand jury for human smuggling, including children, and conspiracy,” Noem said.
Citing a report from the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Gang Unit, a 2019 DHS form states that “Abrego Garcia was validated as a member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) Gang.”
This spring, the Tennessee Highway Patrol released body camera footage of its November 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia, in which he is suspected of human smuggling.
It was dark outside when the state trooper pulled Abrego Garcia over and walked up to his vehicle. The officer’s flashlight revealed eight additional men crammed into the vehicle.
The troopers discuss the likelihood that they are witnessing a human smuggling operation and point out that there is no luggage in the car, despite the fact that Abrego Garcia said all the men were traveling through multiple states, supposedly for construction work.
Police and court records also reveal that Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego Garcia’s wife, twice filed charges that her husband engaged in domestic violence against her.
Despite the claims against Abrego Garcia, the illegal alien became somewhat of a rallying cry for Democrats in their efforts to oppose President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., traveled to El Salvador and met with the deported illegal alien in April. The senator said the goal of his trip was to “let the Trump administration, to let the government of El Salvador, know that we are going to keep fighting to bring Abrego Garcia home until he returns to his family.”
Democrat Reps. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Maxwell Frost of Florida, and Robert Garcia of California traveled to El Salvador shortly after Van Hollen, also to visit Abrego Garcia.
Van Hollen celebrated the news of Abrego Garcia’s return on Friday, writing on X, “After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia. This has never been about the man—it’s about his constitutional rights & the rights of all.”
