Democrats reacted strongly during a Congressional hearing concerning Kilmar Garcia after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) presented evidence suggesting that “The Maryland Man” was involved with the notorious MS-13 gang.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) expressed his outrage at the evidence brought up by Greene during the Homeland Security Committee’s discussion on immigration. Garcia, a deportee to El Salvador, had been sent there by the Trump administration.
“There’s no final court order that declares he is a member. Maybe he is! So, you should present all that evidence before the judge. If he really is connected to MS-13, then he should indeed be deported,” Goldman stated.
Greene referenced a tweet from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondy that included several facts supporting the allegation against Garcia, which Goldman countered.
“The Maryland County Police Gang Unit identified him as an MS-13 member. A reliable confidential informant confirmed it, as did ICE officers and the immigration judge,” Greene asserted.
Goldman countered Greene’s claims amidst the back-and-forth with Speaker Mark Green (R-Tenn.), which raised questions about whether Green was addressing his inquiries adequately.
“She’s presenting inaccurate records and facts, which I oppose. There’s no definitive court order showing he’s a member. Maybe he is! Put everything before the judge. If he’s MS-13, then he should be deported,” he insisted.
Greene defended her right to introduce the material into the committee proceedings, but Goldman continued his pushback.
“She has the ability to put forth this information to the committee,” said Green.
“But it’s essential—she’s claiming it represents exactly what the Attorney General said. She has the document there. I want to see the document,” Goldman replied.
Greene indicated that a copy would be provided to Goldman during a brief intermission, but there was a vote regarding the document, during which Goldman was again interrupted.
“Don’t obstruct again!” Green exclaimed at Goldman.
The tweet in question was shared by Bondy on social media on April 16th.
Democrats have painted Garcia as a poster child for their criticisms of the Trump administration, yet the evidence linking him to MS-13 appears to grow stronger.
Nonetheless, in court, officials for the administration acknowledged that Garcia’s deportation stemmed from “clerical errors,” and in April, the U.S. Supreme Court provided additional support for those who wanted him to return to the United States.
At one point, former President Donald Trump displayed an image of a man’s knuckle with a tattoo that the administration interpreted as a sign of his MS-13 affiliation.
