Kilmar Abrego Garcia Timeline

 

Photo sourced from DHS Form I-213 dated March 29, 2019

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Timeline

 NOTE: This timeline will be updated as new evidence becomes available.

• March 2012

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia claimed to have entered the U.S. illegally on or about March 25, 2012 (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).

• March 2019

• March 28, 2019: he was detained in Prince George's County, Maryland as he and three other individuals were loitering outside a Home Depot in Hyattsville, Maryland in connection to a murder investigation (Prince George’s County Police Department, 2019; CNN Politics, 2025a).
• During Garcia's detainment interview, "officers observed he was wearing a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie with rolls of money covering the eyes, ears and mouth of the presidents on the separate denominations. Officers know such clothing to be indicative of the Hispanic gang culture. The meaning of the clothing is to represent 'ver, oir y callar' or 'see no evil, hear-no evil and say no evil'. Wearing the Chicago Bulls hat represents that they are a member in good standing with the MS-13" (Prince George’s County Police Department, 2019).
• During the interview, "Officers contacted a past proven and reliable source of information, who advised Kilmar Armando ABREGO-GARCIA is an active member of MS-13 with the Westerns clique. The confidential source further advised that he is the rank of 'Chequeo' with the moniker of 'Chele'" (Prince George’s County Police Department, 2019).
• According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-213 (2019) Domingo and Garcia "freely admitted being citizens and national [sic] of El Salvador by birth and that they were present in the United States illegally. The subjects were not in possession of any immigration documents that would allow them to be in or remain in the United States legally. At approximately 1930, the subjects were arrested and transported to the Howard County Detention center for overnight placement" (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).
• According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-213 (2019) Garcia was "identified as a Member/Active of M.S.13" (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).
• According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-213 (2019) "Abrego-Garcia is not claiming fear of returning to his country" (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).
• According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Form I-213 (2019), after a five-minute phone call, the document then states, "Abrego-Garcia is claiming fear of returning to his home country of EL Salvador" (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019).

• April 2019

• At the Initial Bond Hearing on April 29, 2019, Kilmar Abrego Garcia admitted that he failed "to appear for hearings on some traffic violations." (United States Department of Justice, 2019c).
• At the Initial Bond Hearing on April 29, 2019, "The DHS opposed the Respondent's request for bond. The DHS asserted that the Respondent is a verified gang member. The Respondent was arrested in the company of other ranking gang members and was confirmed to be a ranking member of the MS-13 gang by a proven and reliable source. The DHS argued that the Form I-213 is admissible as a legally reliable document in immigration court" (United States Department of Justice, 2019c).
• At the initial bond hearing on April 29, 2019, the finding stated, "After considering the information provided by both parties, the Court concluded that no bond was appropriate in this matter. The Court first reasoned that the Respondent failed to meet his burden of demonstrating that his release from custody would not pose a danger to others, as the evidence shows that he is a verified member of MS-13" and "the Respondent has failed to present evidence to rebut that assertion" (United States Department of Justice, 2019c).

• June 2019

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia, while in jail, marries Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen (CNN Politics, 2025a) out of fear for his removal (Newsweek, 2025) adding motive.

• October 2019

• In the Removal Proceedings Memorandum of Decision and Order signed10 Oct 2019 it states, "Withholding of removal, in contrast to asylum, confers only the right not to be deported to a particular country rather than the right to remain in the U.S." (United States Department of Justice, 2019a).
• In the Removal Proceedings Memorandum of Decision and Order signed10 Oct 2019 in conclusion it states, "The Respondent's application for asylum is time-barred without exception. However' he has established past persecution based on a protected ground, and the presumption of a wellfounded fear of future persecution. DHS has not shown there are changed circumstances in Guatemala that would result in the Respondent's life not being threatened, or that internal relocation is possible and reasonable under the circumstances. Therefore, the Respondent's application for withholding under the Act is granted. Finally, his CAT claim fails because he has not shown that he would suffer torture" (United States Department of Justice, 2019a).
• In the Removal Proceedings Memorandum of Decision and Order signed 10 Oct 2019 it is ordered that, "1. the Respondent's application for asylum pursuant to INA§ 208 is DENIED; 2. the Respondent's application for withholding of removal pursuant to INA § 24l(b)(3) is GRANTED; and 3. the Respondent's application for withholding of removal under the Convention Against Torture is DENIED" (United States Department of Justice, 2019a).

• December 2019

• At the bond proceedings appeal hearing on December 19, 2019, the finding stated, "We adopt and affirm the Immigration Judge's danger ruling" and accordingly the appeal was dismissed (United States Department of Justice, 2019b).

• Post 2019: Unknown Timeframe

• At some point after the December 2019 bond appeal hearing Garcia was released from custody as he was known to have lived in Maryland post-2019 (CNN Politics, 2025a).
• Release timing and rationale are unclear
• The release occurred under the Biden Administration despite having a deportation order

• May 2021

• On 5 May 2021, Jennifer Vasquez, wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, filed a petition for protection against Kilmar Abrego Garcia
• In the petition, Vasquez claimed multiple violent encounters with Kilmar Abrego Garcia with some of those encounters resulting injuries (Vaquez, 2021).
• In the petition, Vasquez claimed to have multiple photos and videos of how violent he can be, referring to Garcia (Vaquez, 2021).
• In the petition, Vasquez claimed previous injuries from Garcia in December 2019, August 2020, and November 2020 (Vaquez, 2021).
• On 6 May 2021, Jennifer Vasquez, wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, received a Temporary Protective Order against Kilmar Abrego Garcia effective from the date of the order through 17 June 2021 under "reasonible grounds to believe that the respondent [Garcia] committed the following act(s) of abuse: Assault in any degree on May 1, 2021 and on May 4, 2021 respondent [Garcia] punched and scratched petitioner [Vasquez], ripped off shirt, grabbed and bruised petitioner [Vasquez]" (Abrego Garcia, 2021; District Court of Maryland, 2021).

• December 2022

• On December 1, 2022 Kilmar Abrego Garcia was stopped for driving erratically and speeding in Tennesee by Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2022; Richards & Solomon, 2025; Pappert, 2025
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia was found to be transporting seven or eight passengers (Department of Homeland Security, 2022; Pappert, 2025
• "the seven individuals in the van were being transported from Texas to Maryland by Garcia" (Pappert, 2025).
• "Upon approach to the vehicle, encountering officer noted there were eight other individuals in the vehicle with the subject. who was identified as the driver" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022)
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia "stated he was driving 'three days ago' (11/27/2022) from Houston, TX to Temple Hills, MD (via St Louis, MO) to bring in people to perform construction work" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• "There was no luggage in the vehicle, leading the encountering officer to suspect this was a human trafficking incident" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• "All the passengers gave the same home address as the subject's home address" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• "During the interview, subject pretended to speak less English than he was capable of and attempted to put encountering officer off-track by responding to questions with questions" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• "When asked what relationship he had with the registered owner of the vehicle, subject replied that the owner of the vehicle is his boss, and that his work is in construction" (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• Kilmar Abrego Garcia was operating the vehicle without a valid driver's license (Department of Homeland Security, 2022).
• THP discovered Kilmar Abrego Garcia was on a terrorist watch list (Pappert, 2025).
• THP contacted "the FBI, which was then led by former Director Christopher Wray under the Biden administration. The FBI instructed the THP officers at the scene to capture photographs of all eight people in the vehicle and document its contents" (Pappert, 2025).
• "Once the photographs were captured, this source told The Star that the FBI requested THP release all eight individuals and that the THP officers complied with this request" (Pappert, 2025).
• The incident was recorded in Homeland’s immigration alert system on Dec. 6, 2022 which categorized the incident under the title "human smuggling/trafficking" (Richards & Solomon, 2025).
• In a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore field office document, the vehicle that Abrego Garcia was driving during the traffic stop detailed above was listed as, "Vehicle is used by HSI Baltimore target in human smuggling/trafficking operation. Vehicle makes trips to southern border to pick up noncitizens" (Richards & Solomon, 2025).
• On December 27, 2022, "Homeland updated its record to urge all personnel who encountered Abrego Garcia in the future to 'escort to secondary,' a term referring to the investigative procedures used when someone suspected of wrongdoing is encountered at a port of entry or by border patrol agents" (Richards & Solomon, 2025).

• March 2025

• March 12, 2025: Kilmar Abrego Garcia was arrested (Cornell Law School, 2025).
• March 15, 2025: Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador (Cornell Law School, 2025)
• March 24, 2025: U.S. District Court of Maryland, Abrego Garcia v. Noem (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025) 
• COMPLAINT against Nikita Baker, Pamela Bondi, Kenneth Genalo, Todd Lyons, Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number AMDDC-11858740.), filed by A. A.V., Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Civil Cover Sheet, # 7 Summons)(Sandoval-Moshenberg, Simon) (Entered: 03/24/2025) (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025)
• March 24, 2025: Emergency MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order by Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Sandoval-Moshenberg, Simon) (Entered: 03/24/2025) (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025)
• Multiple follow-on Summons, Requests, Orders, Motions, etc. (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025)

April 2025

• April 1-10, 2025: U.S. District Court of Maryland, Multiple Summons, Requests, Orders, Motions, etc. (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025)
• April 10, 2025: U.S. Supreme Court case No. 24A949, Kristi Noem, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security, et Al. V. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, et Al. on Application to Vacate Injunction Entered by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Noem v. Abrego Garcia, 2025)
• President Trump releases photo of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's MS-13 tattoo.
• 
  

  

  Photograph of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand with MS-13 tattoos (Trump, 2025)

  
  
• April 17, 2025: United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in the case of Abrego Garcia v. Noem, USCA Order Doc. #88, "Upon review of the government’s motion, the court denies the motion for an emergency stay pending appeal and for a writ of mandamus" (CourtListener, 2025)  
• April 18, 2025: Department of Homeland Security releases a Homeland Security Investigations’ Combined Intelligence Unit (CIU) Investigative Referral report on Kilmar Abrego Garcia (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2025)
• April 11-21, 2025: U.S. District Court of Maryland, Multiple Orders, Notices, Appeals, Status Reports, Emergency Motions, etc. (Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 2025)

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References

Abrego Garcia, K. (2021). Maryland v. Abrego Garcia (Case No. 0502SP019272021). Maryland District Court, Wicomico County. Maryland Judiciary Case Search. https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiryByCaseNum.jis

Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 8:25-cv-00951 (D. Md. 2025). CourtListener. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/abrego-garcia-v-noem/

al.com. (2025, April 5). DOJ suspends Erez Reuveni, lawyer who told judge Kilmar Abrego Garcia should not have been deported. https://www.al.com/politics/2025/04/doj-suspends-lawyer-who-told-judge-kilmar-abrego-garcia-should-not-have-been-deported.html

American Immigration Council. (2021). The difference between asylum and withholding of removal. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/asylum-withholding-of-removal

AP News. (2025, April 11). Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man ICE mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison? https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd

BBC News. (2025a). Can the US return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx27gzdzqrgo

BBC News. (2025b). Trump administration’s deportation controversy: Kilmar Abrego Garcia case explained. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vedkm7w2do

CNN Politics. (2025a). Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported. In a tense hearing, DOJ wouldn’t say where he is. What happens next? https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/11/politics/kilmar-abrego-garcia-hearing/index.html

CNN Politics. (2025b). Supreme Court says Trump must facilitate return of man mistakenly deported. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/politics/supreme-court-abrego-garcia/index.html

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 8, § 1208.16 (2025). Withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3)(B) of the Act. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-1208

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 8, § 1208.24 (2025). Termination of asylum or withholding of removal. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-V/subchapter-B/part-1208

Cornell Law School. (2025). Noem v. Abrego Garcia, 24A949. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/24A949

CourtListener. (2025, April 17). Abrego Garcia v. Noem, 8:25-cv-00951 [Docket]. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69777799/88/abrego-garcia-v-noem/

District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County. (2021, May 6). Temporary Protective Order: Vasquez v. Abrego-Garcia [Court order]. Hyattsville, MD.

Forbes Breaking News. (2025, April 14). BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Miller defends Trump admin. deporting Maryland man to El Salvador prison [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-BhC0QHDfY

Gooding, D. (2025, April 3). The Real Story of the Maryland Father Deported to El Salvador By Mistake. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/kilmar-armando-abrego-garcia-deported-el-salvador-maryland-father-ms13-2054507

Gouveia, R. (2025, April 10). Supreme Court RULES on Deported Papusa Terrorist! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD09m-f238c

Immigration Equality. (2021). Withholding status. https://immigrationequality.org/asylum/asylum-manual/withholding-status/

Matter of A-C-M-, 27 I&N Dec. 308 (BIA 2018).

MSNBC. (2025, April 13). Wrongly deported man’s lawyers call out Trump DOJ’s ‘extreme step’ in Supreme Court litigation. https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/kilmar-abrego-garcia-department-justice-erez-reuveni-rcna200395

NBC News. (2025a). Man was sent to El Salvador due to administrative error despite protected legal status. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-was-sent-el-salvador-due-administrative-error-protected-legal-stat-rcna199010

NBC News. (2025b). El Salvador’s president says he won’t return mistakenly deported man to U.S.. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/president-el-salvador-wont-return-deported-man-kilmar-abrego-garcia-rcna201136

NPR. (2025, April 10). Supreme Court says Trump officials should help return wrongly deported Maryland man. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/10/nx-s1-5358421/supreme-court-abrego-garcia-deportation-decision

Noem v. Abrego Garcia, No. Fuller (U.S. April 10, 2025). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a949_lkhn.pdf

Pappert, T. (2025, April 16). Biden’s FBI ordered TN Highway Patrol to release ‘Maryland Man’ recently deported to El Salvador after he was detained in 2022 traffic stop on suspicion of human trafficking. The Tennessee Star. https://tennesseestar.com/justice/bidens-fbi-ordered-tn-highway-patrol-to-release-maryland-man-recently-deported-to-el-salvador-after-he-was-detained-in-2022-traffic-stop-on-suspicion-of-human-trafficking/tpappert/2025/04/16/

PBS NewsHour. (2025, April 14). El Salvador’s Bukele says he will not release man mistakenly deported: ‘Issue preposterous’. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-el-salvadors-bukele-says-he-will-not-release-man-mistakenly-deported-issue-preposterous

POLITICO. (2025, April 13). Trump administration contends it has no duty to return illegally deported man to US. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/13/abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-administration-00288502

Prince George’s County Police Department. (2019, March 28). Gang Field Interview Sheet 5091: Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia [Police report].

Reuters. (2025, April 10). US Supreme Court tells Trump administration to facilitate return of Salvadoran man deported in error. https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-upholds-order-facilitate-return-deportee-sent-el-salvador-error-2025-04-10/

Richards, S., & Solomon, J. (2025, April 16). Biden administration flagged deported El Salvadoran as illegal alien suspected of ‘human smuggling.’ Just The News. https://justthenews.com/government/security/deported-el-salvadoran-man-flagged-during-biden-years-suspicion-human-smuggling

Robinson, E. (2025, April 17). [Photograph of Kilmar Abrego Garcia]. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-documents-kilmar-abrego-garcia-trump-golden-dome-morning-rundown-rcna201680

The Associated Press (2025, April 11). U.S. says it needs more time to provide information on mistakenly deported Maryland man. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-maryland-trump-deportation-rcna200906

The Atlantic. (2025, March 25). An administrative error sends a man to a Salvadoran prison. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/an-administrative-error-sends-a-man-to-a-salvadoran-prison/682254/

The Guardian. (2025, April 4). Maryland man deported to El Salvador in apparent violation of court order. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/maryland-deported-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia

The Independent. (2025, April 14). Trump administration faces pressure over deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-el-salvador-abrego-garcia-b2725002.html

Trump, D. J. (2025, April 18). [Photograph of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand with MS-13 tattoos]. X. https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1913358867708493982

United States Code, Title 8, § 1158 (2025). Aliens and nationality: Asylum. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1158

United States Code, Title 8, § 1182 (2025). Aliens and nationality: Inadmissible aliens. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1182

United States Code, Title 8, § 1231 (2025). Aliens and nationality: Detention and removal of aliens ordered removed. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1231

Univision. (2025, April 5). Caso Kilmar Ábrego García: Dan baja administrativa al abogado del gobierno. https://www.univision.com/noticias/inmigracion/caso-kilmar-abrego-garcia-dan-baja-administrativa-el-abogado-del-gobierno-en-el-caso-del-salvadoreno-expulsado-por-error-a-la-carcel-bukele

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019, March 29). Record of Deportable/Inadmissible Alien for Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia [Form I-213]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2022, December 1). Combined Intelligence Unit (CIU) investigative referral report: Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia, in re 1-Dec-2022 traffic stop [Report]. Homeland Security Investigations.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2025, April 18). DHS releases bombshell investigative report: Kilmar Abrego Garcia suspected human trafficker. https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/04/18/dhs-releases-bombshell-investigative-report-kilmar-abrego-garcia-suspected-human

U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Board of Immigration Appeals. (2019b, December 19). Decision in Bond Proceedings Appeal: In re Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia [Bond proceedings appeal]. Falls Church, VA.

U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Immigration Court. (2019c, April 24). In the matter of Abrego-Garcia, Kilmer Armado [Bond proceeding]. Baltimore, MD.

U.S. District Court for Maryland. (2019, October 11). Kilmar Abrego Garcia withholding of removal order. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.578815/gov.uscourts.mdd.578815.1.1.pdf

Vasquez, J. (2021, May 5). Petition for protection/peace order: Vasquez v. Abrego-Garcia (Case No. 0502SP019272021) [Court filing]. District Court of Maryland for Prince George's County, Upper Marlboro.

Wagner, P., & Bensen, J. (2025, April 16). Court documents released in Kilmar Abrego Garcia deportation case. NBC Washington. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/doj-releases-document-in-kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-case/3893938/

U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, United States Immigration Court. (2019a, October 10). In the matter of Kilmar Armando Abrego-Garcia, Memorandum of Decision and Order [Memorandum]. Baltimore, MD.