The illegal migrant at the center of a deportation controversy held a rank and street name with the notorious MS-13 gang, court documents showed.
The Trump administration has alleged that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was arrested in Maryland and deported from the U.S., was an MS-13 member. He was sent to El Salvador despite an immigration court order preventing his deportation.
According to newly released documents, Abrego Garcia held the rank "Chequeo" and the street name "Chele" within the vicious criminal organization.
MS-13, which has the full name Mara Salvatrucha, began in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs. The Justice Department has said the gang "is well-organized and is heavily involved in lucrative illegal enterprises, being notorious for its use of violence to achieve its objectives."
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday released evidence on social media stemming from police finding Abrego Garcia socializing with confirmed MS-13 gangbangers in a Maryland Home Depot parking lot in March 2019.
In the document, a reliable source told a Hyattsville City Police Department detective that Abrego Garcia is an active member of MS-13 with the Western cliques with the rank of "Chequeo" and the moniker "Chele."
The document also said that officers noted Abrego Garcia's clothing, a Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie with rolls of money covering the eyes, ears, and mouth of the presidents on the different denominations, was "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,'" the report stated.
"Wearing the Chicago Bulls hat represents that they are a member in good standing with the MS-13."
Earlier Wednesday, during a press conference Wednesday to announce a lawsuit against Maine, Bondi said that despite "one additional step in paperwork" that failed to be completed before the deportation, Abrego Garcia is not returning to the U.S.
"He is an illegal alien who has been living illegally in our country from El Salvador. ICE testified, an immigration judge ruled he was a member of MS-13. An appellate judge ruled he was a member of MS-13. Hard stop," Bondi told reporters. "He should not be in our country."
Also Wednesday, the Trump administration highlighted the domestic abuse charges against Abrego Garcia as the mainstream media and liberal politicians rallied to the recently deported illegal immigrant's defense.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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