New police and court records have uncovered deeper ties between deported Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia and suspected human smuggling operations stretching from Texas to Maryland. Despite these revelations, prominent Democrats continue to push for his return to the U.S., staging protests and diplomatic visits to El Salvador on his behalf.
Abrego Garcia, now back in U.S. custody to face human smuggling charges, was linked through license plate records to a 2004 Toyota also driven by Ismael Alexander Melara Flores, who was recently cited for transporting around 10 individuals cross-country from Texas. Both men drove similar routes with vehicles overloaded with suspected illegal migrants, raising strong suspicion of coordinated smuggling activity.
In December 2022, Tennessee police stopped Abrego Garcia with eight passengers in a vehicle owned by a convicted smuggler, Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes. No one had luggage, and all passengers listed Abrego Garcia’s address as their own. Law enforcement officers at the scene suspected the group was being paid to travel from Texas to Maryland. They were released at the request of the FBI.
Records also show Abrego Garcia was cited in Maryland in 2018 for driving without a license, and driving a vehicle previously linked to Melara Flores. The parallels in route and method between the two men paint a consistent picture of organized human smuggling.
Beyond smuggling, Abrego Garcia faces credible allegations of domestic abuse. His wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, sought multiple protective orders, citing incidents of violence including being dragged out of a vehicle by her hair and punched in the eye. She also presented a recording where Abrego Garcia allegedly said, “Even if he kills me, no one can do anything to him.”
Law enforcement has also tied Abrego Garcia to MS-13. Following a 2019 arrest, a reliable source informed police he was affiliated with the gang. Immigration judges deemed these accusations credible. Despite this, Democrats including Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Glenn Ivey have traveled to El Salvador demanding his release, even staying at luxury accommodations while lobbying for him.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker directed his administration to consider sanctions against El Salvador over Abrego Garcia’s detention. Critics say the left is mischaracterizing a dangerous alien as a victim to undermine immigration enforcement under President Trump.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed Abrego Garcia’s extradition back to the U.S. to face federal smuggling charges. Officials say he made over 100 cross-country trips moving illegal migrants before finally being detained under the Trump administration’s renewed deportation efforts.
