Washington, D.C., April 13, 2025 – The deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 35-year-old Guatemalan immigrant, has ignited a firestorm of criticism against the Trump administration, with activists demanding transparency over his whereabouts. A viral social media post on April 13 claimed Abrego Garcia was “wrongfully held in Trump’s overseas ICE jail” and questioned why the Department of Justice (DOJ) hasn’t clarified his location, suggesting he might be “someone else” and calling for his return if sent to El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia, who lived in the U.S. for 15 years as a landscaper in Maryland, was deported on April 10 as part of Trump’s mass deportation efforts following his January 2025 national emergency declaration at the southern border. According to The Washington Post, he was detained in November 2024 during an ICE raid, held in Louisiana, and deported to El Salvador—not Guatemala—due to an alleged clerical error in his records. Abrego Garcia had a pending asylum claim based on gang violence threats in Guatemala, and the American Immigration Council argues this error violated his due process rights.
The post’s reference to an “overseas ICE jail” is inaccurate—ICE doesn’t operate detention centers abroad, though the U.S. has agreements with countries like El Salvador to process deportees. The claim of mistaken identity reflects broader activist concerns about errors in ICE operations, though no evidence in Abrego Garcia’s case supports this. His deportation to the wrong country has nonetheless fueled outrage, with the post demanding, “SHOW TRANSPARENCY,” and questioning why the Trump administration hasn’t located him to “bring him back.”
The Trump administration has defended its deportation policies as essential for border security but has not commented on Abrego Garcia’s case specifically. Public reaction on X is deeply divided—some users call the deportation “inhumane,” echoing the post’s sentiment that “Trump f*cked up,” while others support the crackdown, arguing undocumented immigrants should be removed regardless of circumstances. The case underscores tensions in Trump’s immigration agenda, which has faced legal challenges over due process, especially as deportations have surged, with thousands sent to El Salvador since January.
Immigration advocates are pushing for Abrego Garcia’s return, citing the error in his deportation destination as grounds for appeal. As of April 13, his whereabouts in El Salvador remain unclear, intensifying calls for accountability. The controversy highlights broader issues of transparency and fairness in Trump’s immigration policies, with activists vowing to keep pressing for answers.
