Discussion on Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Return

Alan Dershowitz appeared on Newsmax on Friday to talk about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who has returned to the United States and is facing criminal charges related to human smuggling.

Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador with allegations of domestic abuse, came back to the U.S. to face charges of smuggling illegal immigrants. This was reported by Attorney General Pam Bondy. On the program “Records with Greta Van Sleslen,” Dershowitz indicated that Garcia’s decision might be costly, as he risks a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty.

“I think it was a big mistake for him and his supporters to try bringing him back,” Dershowitz stated. “He’s going to regret it. If he had taken a different route—saying, ‘I’m deportable and don’t want to come back’—that would have been better for him,” he added.

He suggested that accepting deportation to a safer country could be Garcia’s best chance at freedom, mentioning Argentina as a potential option to escape the dangers of returning to the U.S.

“‘Don’t send me to a dangerous country; send me to Argentina.’ He might have won his case, hoping for deportation instead of conviction,” Dershowitz explained.

Dershowitz pointed out that Garcia’s supporters may not have helped him in the best way by encouraging his return.

“When supporters back someone, they might not always act in that person’s best interests because they have their own agendas. This guy’s best interests likely included not coming back here,” he noted.

In March, immigration and customs enforcement agents arrested Garcia and deported him to El Salvador, where he was initially placed in a high-security facility meant for gang members. This led to backlash from Democrats, with Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen visiting El Salvador to advocate for his return, alongside a group of House Democrats who supported similar efforts.

The Trump administration defended Garcia’s deportation, citing concerns from local Maryland law enforcement regarding his ties to the MS-13 gang and previous domestic abuse allegations involving his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sula.

In 2022, Garcia was stopped by the Tennessee Highway Patrol on human smuggling suspicions after it was found he was transporting eight passengers without visible luggage. The vehicle belonged to Jose Ramon Hernandez Rays, an undocumented immigrant.