WASHINGTON, DC — Former President Donald Trump reignited controversy Friday after posting an image of a tattooed hand he claimed belonged to an alleged MS-13 gang member, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador despite federal circuit court orders prohibiting his removal.
The Salvadoran national, who had lived legally in Maryland for 14 years, was deported in March 2025 to the CECOT mega-prison, widely criticized for housing accused gang members without due process.
The deportation came despite a 2019 judicial ruling shielding him from removal over threats of persecution.
“This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back,” Trump posted on social media. “They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles… I must be allowed to do my job.”
Garcia’s wife had filed a personal protection order against her husband claiming he displayed acts of violence, assaulted her, and forcibly removed her clothing.
He was also suspected to be a human trafficker, according to government records, but was never charged.
Trump’s administration identified Abrego Garcia as a gang member based on evidence provided by local police departments and the courts
A court-blocked deportation, a viral post, and a prison photo have turned one man’s case into a flashpoint over executive power and immigration policy.