DHS report links Abrego Garcia's 2022 traffic stop in TN to human trafficking suspicions

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — New information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reveal details about a traffic stop Kilmar Abrego Garcia was involved in in 2022 and why the federal government suspected him of human trafficking.

Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador is at the center of the immigration debate in the United States as the Trump Administration continues a showdown with the courts. He was deported from Maryland in March and since then, the Trump Administration admitted to sending him to El Salvador through an “administrative error.” The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump Administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, but so far, top officials from the White House have made it clear they will not work to bring him back to the U.S.

The Homeland Security report outlines a December 1, 2022 traffic stop where Abrego Garcia was pulled over by Tennessee Highway Patrol for speeding and failing to “maintain its lane.”

The THP officer noted there were eight other people in the car with Abrego Garcia, who was diving. Abrego Garcia told the THP officer he had been driving “three days ago,” according to the DHS report, and was coming from Houston to Temple Hills, Md. to “bring in people to perform construction work.”

There was no luggage in the vehicle, according to the DHS report, “leading the encountering officer to suspect this was a human trafficking incident.”

“All the passengers gave the same home address as the subject’s home address,” the DHS report said.

The report suggests the passengers were intentionally not speaking enough English to provide clear answers.

Abrego Garcia’s driver’s license is a Maryland limited term temporary license, according to the DHS report. In Maryland, people in the country illegally are eligible for driver’s licenses.

The THP officer did not cite Abrego Garcia for driving infractions but gave him “a warning citation for driving with an expired driver’s license.”

The DHS report notes the gang information sheet police in Prince George’s County filled out following a 2019 arrest that involved Abrego Garcia and three other people, claiming the form validated Abrego Garcia as a member of the MS-13 gang.

Abrego Garcia was detained following an arrest in Hyattsville, Md. in a Home Depot parking lot in March 2019. He was in the parking lot with three other people looking for day labor work. Court documents indicate the four men were arrested by police and questioned about gang ties. Abrego Garcia said he was not affiliated with any gangs and couldn’t provide the police with any details about the gang MS-13, or any of the other people.

A Hyattsville City Police Officer recognized one of the men in the group to be a member of MS-13, according to a statement provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department. The PGPD Gang Unit was on hand to assist with interviews and filled out a Gang Field Interview Sheet.

“The PGPD detectives had reasonable suspicion, based upon their training and experience, three of the four men, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, displayed traits associated with MS-13 gang culture,” the statement from PGPD read.

The gang unit, according to the GFIS, said the Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie Abrego Garcia was wearing “represents that they are a member in good standing with MS-13.”

Additionally, a “reliable source of information” said he is a member of the “Westerns” clique of the gang, located in upstate New York, according to the documents.

One of the officers involved with filling out the GFIS, however, was Ivan Mendez. Mendez, according to PGPD, was suspended in April 2019 “in connection with an unrelated matter.” He later pled guilty to misconduct in office for that undisclosed issue and was fired in December 2022.

“There will be no further statements or information provided on these subjects,” PGPD’s statement continued.

Abrego Garcia was not charged and was turned over to ICE where he was detained until his release in October 2019.

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