DHS Secretary Confronts Rep. Swalwell Over MS-13 Member
On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem didn’t hold back when Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell defended MS-13 member Kilmer Abrego Garcia. Swalwell kept pointing to a social media image that he claimed showed altered pictures of Garcia’s tattoos, which he suggested further linked him to the gang. Under pressure from fellow California Democrats, Noem provided evidence supporting Garcia’s connections to MS-13.
“Madame Secretary, I have young kids. I can spot nonsense,” Swalwell stated. To this, Noem responded, “Sir, the procedures for Garcia’s case were standard. I can’t speak to the photos you’re mentioning. Are you implying Garcia isn’t involved in criminal activities?”
Swalwell accused Noem of supporting Garcia after the administration admitted he had been mistakenly deported. Officials argued he should remain in El Salvador, highlighting the need for evidence regarding his gang affiliations.
“You backed him,” Swalwell asserted. “You claimed he was accidentally deported.” Noem clarified, “I didn’t guarantee anything about him. I’m just saying the focus should not be on images.” She continued, “I never suggested he should have been in this country. If he were, he would face immediate deportation.”
Garcia entered the U.S. illegally in 2011 and was apprehended in 2022 in Tennessee on suspicion of human smuggling after local authorities discovered he was transporting several people without luggage. The driver, Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes, had previously been incarcerated for similar crimes.
In December 2019, the Immigration Appeals Committee dismissed Garcia’s appeal against an immigration judge’s determination that he was a “verified MS-13 member.” According to documents obtained from the Department of Justice, Garcia was found loitering in a Home Depot parking lot in March 2019, amidst allegations of his association with the gang.
Despite an order for his deportation, he was retained for removal and allowed to work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In April, Trump engaged with ABC News’ Terry Moran over a photo he claimed depicted Garcia’s real tattoos. Moran challenged the president to intervene in order to facilitate Garcia’s return, to which Trump declined, citing Garcia’s criminal past.
The Supreme Court ruled that Garcia’s reentry should be “promoted,” but El Salvador’s President Naive Bukele, on April 14, declared that he would not allow Garcia back into the U.S.
