In 2018, during a custody dispute in Maryland, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was accused of gang affiliation by Edwin Ramos, the ex-partner of Abrego Garcia’s now-wife. Ramos filed a petition expressing concerns for the safety of his children, alleging that Abrego Garcia was involved with the MS-13 gang. However, the court dismissed the petition, citing insufficient evidence to support the claims.
The following year, in March 2019, Abrego Garcia was arrested along with three other men in a Home Depot parking lot in Hyattsville, Maryland, where they were reportedly seeking day labor work. A confidential informant alleged that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang, known by the alias “Chele” and associated with the gang’s Western clique. The informant claimed he held the rank of “chequeo,” a term experts note refers to a prospective recruit rather than a full member.
Despite these allegations, Abrego Garcia was not charged with any crime. An immigration judge in 2019 granted him protection from deportation to El Salvador, citing credible fears of gang persecution. Nevertheless, in March 2025, he was deported to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, a move the U.S. Department of Justice later acknowledged as an administrative error.
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who resided in Maryland for over a decade, remains at the center of a contentious legal and political battle following his deportation to El Salvador. The U.S. government has cited alleged affiliations with the MS-13 gang as justification for his removal, but these claims are under intense scrutiny.
The Prince George’s County Police Department cited Abrego Garcia’s attire—a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie with images of money covering the eyes and ears of U.S. presidents—as indicative of gang affiliation. However, the detective responsible for this assessment, Ivan Mendez, was later suspended and terminated for unrelated misconduct, reported NY Post.
The Trump administration has maintained that Abrego Garcia is a threat due to his alleged gang ties. President Trump and other officials have pointed to his tattoos as evidence, though experts argue that such tattoos are not definitive indicators of gang membership.
The case has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration policy and the treatment of individuals with alleged gang affiliations. A federal judge has ordered the administration to provide documentation of efforts to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S., but officials argue that they cannot compel foreign governments to act.
As legal proceedings continue, Abrego Garcia remains detained in El Salvador, with his future uncertain amid ongoing disputes over the validity of the gang affiliation claims and the legality of his deportation.