A Deportation Divides: The Story Of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

 

In the weeks since Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, two conflicting narratives have emerged—one from the U.S. government, portraying him as a violent gang member, and the other from his family, painting a picture of a hardworking man fleeing danger.

Federal authorities allege Abrego Garcia is affiliated with MS-13, pointing to past accusations of domestic violence and tattoos they associate with gang symbolism. President Donald Trump even labeled him a “tough cookie” and a “terrorist,” claiming Abrego Garcia terrorized his wife and posed a threat to the community.

But to his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and others who know him, Abrego Garcia is a devoted father and husband who escaped gang violence as a teenager. “It’s been 50 days of pain and suffering,” Vasquez Sura said during a rally in Washington, D.C., urging both the U.S. and Salvadoran governments to “stop playing political games with my husband’s life.”

Initially, immigration authorities admitted that his deportation was a clerical error. A senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official called it an “administrative error” that mistakenly moved him up the deportation list. However, that stance quickly shifted as officials publicly labeled him a terrorist, citing his alleged MS-13 ties—an organization the U.S. has designated as a foreign terrorist group.

Despite the government’s characterization, legal proceedings have recognized the irregularities in Abrego Garcia’s case. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently stated: “Perhaps, but perhaps not. Regardless, he is still entitled to due process.”

Fleeing Violence in El Salvador

Abrego Garcia’s early life in El Salvador paints a grim picture of survival. Born in 1995, he worked in his family’s pupusa business in Los Nogales. Friends recall him as a friendly, active child, often organizing soccer games and water balloon fights. “As far as I knew him here, he was never involved with gangs,” said Francisco Sibrian, a childhood friend.

But the shadow of gang violence loomed large. When local gang members began extorting his family, demanding protection money and threatening violence, the family sent his older brother to the U.S. for safety. Soon after, the same gang began targeting Abrego Garcia. After multiple threats—including one to kidnap him and another to assault his sisters—the family relocated multiple times.

Eventually, after persistent gang harassment, they sent Abrego Garcia to the United States in 2012, when he was just 16.

Life in the U.S. and Legal Troubles

Once in Maryland, Abrego Garcia worked as a day laborer and started a life with Vasquez Sura. His troubles with U.S. authorities began in 2019, when he was arrested outside a Home Depot. Police approached a group of men, allegedly saw two of them discard marijuana, and arrested them. Although the arrest itself was minor, ICE used it to label Abrego Garcia a gang member based on alleged affiliations, tattoos, and a Chicago Bulls hat he wore.

His wife vehemently denied the allegations. “Kilmar is not and has never been a gang member. I’m certain of that,” she wrote in a court affidavit.

Immigration judges, often working with limited evidence and deferring to law enforcement claims, denied Abrego Garcia’s bond request. However, in late 2019, Immigration Judge David Jones ruled in his favor, finding his asylum testimony credible and consistent. The judge blocked his removal from the U.S., citing well-founded fears of persecution in El Salvador.

A Wrongful Deportation and Legal Showdown

Despite that ruling, Abrego Garcia was deported in March 2024 in what ICE initially acknowledged was a mistake. The deportation triggered a legal firestorm, with a Maryland federal judge clashing with the Department of Justice, ultimately resulting in the case being brought before the Supreme Court. The high court ordered the government to facilitate his return.

Back in El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was initially detained in the notorious CECOT mega-prison. After pressure from U.S. lawmakers—including Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, who met with him—he was transferred to another facility with reportedly better conditions. Van Hollen said Abrego Garcia was “traumatized” by his experience in the first prison.

Still, communication with the outside world remains difficult for Abrego Garcia. His family continues to fight for his return.

“Kilmar,” Vasquez Sura said at the rally, “if you can hear me, I love you, and keep your faith in God. Know that the children and I are still fighting for you to come back home.”