Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran citizen whose deportation became a politically controversial issue at the start of President Donald Trump's second term, has been returned to the United States to face criminal charges related to a massive human trafficking operation.
According to the Trump administration, Abrego García was allegedly heavily involved in the illegal entry of immigrants into the country through the border with Mexico.
Attorney General Pam Bondi officially announced his return this Friday, stating that "this is what American justice stands for." If convicted, Abrego García would be deported again to El Salvador after the judicial process in the United States concludes.
The charges stem from an incident in 2022, when the Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle suspected of being involved in human trafficking activities.
La fiscal general de los Estados Unidos anunció la noticia
A report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in April indicates that none of the vehicle's occupants had luggage, and all shared the same destination as Abrego García.
At that time, however, no charges were filed against him, and the officers allowed him to continue on his way after warning him for having an expired license. According to the report, Abrego García was traveling from Texas to Maryland, passing through Missouri, and was transporting people who would perform construction work.
His wife defended his questioned innocence after the report was published, explaining that sometimes he transported groups of workers between job sites, which could have led to "confusion." She emphasized that he was not charged with any crime nor fined for any infraction.
Over the years, the Trump administration has publicly promoted Abrego García's police interactions, although they were never accompanied by formal criminal charges until today. This media exposure occurred amid a federal court order requiring his return to the United States and pressure from Congress to ensure him due process.
Last month, Tennessee authorities released body camera footage from the officers during the 2022 traffic stop. The video shows a cordial interaction between the officers and Abrego García.
However, in private conversations captured in the video, the officers express suspicions of human trafficking, basing them on the lack of luggage among the passengers and the presence of an envelope containing USD 1,400 in cash. One of them commented that "he's transporting them for money."
La administración Trump se ha involucrado en el caso de Abregó García
Abrego García's attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, replied after the video was released, noting that no evidence of any crime is seen in the footage. He emphasized that the important thing was not the traffic stop, but that his client had the opportunity to defend himself in court: "Mr. Abrego García deserves his day in court," he stated.
Abrego García's return to the United States comes shortly after the Trump administration complied with a court order to repatriate another immigrant, a Guatemalan citizen identified as O.C.G., who was deported to Mexico. That case marked the first repatriation under court order since the start of Trump's second presidential term.
In April, a group of Democratic Party lawmakers traveled to El Salvador to visit trafficker Abrego García, mistakenly claiming that his living conditions were precarious and that his deportation was due to an "error."
En abril, un grupo de congresistas demócratas visitó a García en El Salvador
