(The Hill) — President Trump argued that he was elected in November to “take bad people out of” the country, sharing a photo of what he says is proof of a mistakenly deported man’s gang ties.
The president posted a picture of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s hand on Friday, showing various tattoos on his knuckles, including a marijuana leaf, a cross, a skull and a smiley face.
“This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such ‘a fine and innocent person,’” Trump wrote in the Friday post on Truth Social.
“They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc,” he continued.
The Trump administration has said that Abrego Garcia, who resided in Maryland when he was deported to a Salvadoran prison due to an “administrative error,” is an MS-13 gang member, an assertion based on a tip from a confidential informant. Abrego Garcia, his family and attorneys have long denied the claim.
“I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” the commander-in-chief added on Friday.
The Trump administration has refused take steps to “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia following a Supreme Court order, which a federal judge earlier this week blasted.
Trump’s Friday post came shortly after Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) spoke to reporters upon his return to the U.S. after traveling to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia in an attempt to secure his release.
“When I told him that his wife and family sent their love and were fighting for Kilmar to return home every day, he said that he was worried about all of you, that was his response,” the Maryland Democrats he said Friday.
Van Hollen slammed the administration, stating it is “flat out” lying about Abrego Garcia’s legal case.
“The Trump administration wants to flat out lie about what this case is about. They want to change the subject. They want to make it about something else and they are flouting the orders from the federal district court to 4th Circuit Court and the Supreme Court to facilitate his return,” Van Hollen said on Friday.
The senator added the administration has not provided evidence in court that Abrego Garcia is part of the transnational gang, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
“In other words, put up in court or shut up,” the Maryland senator said.
The administration has publicly cited the confidential tip as well as other filings showing Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, seeking a civil protective order four years ago, when she accused her husband of punching and scratching her, but not presented the documents to a judge.
