The wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man wrongly deported to El Salvador, acknowledged that she filed a civil protective order against him in 2021. However, she added that it was out of an abundance of caution and they were on good terms before he was taken to the Central American country's CECOT mega-prison.
Jennifer Vasquez Sura made the statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) published additional information regarding Abrego Garcia, including the protective order and another document where law enforcement claimed he was a member of MS-13.
The protective order was reviewed by CNN, which detailed that it stemmed from an altercation that included hitting and "scratching" between them. She then did not appear at a court hearing and the matter ended there. She told the outlet that the order was filed out of caution because she had survived a previous relationship that included domestic violence.
"We were able to work through this situation privately as a family, including by going to counseling. Our marriage only grew stronger in the years that followed. No one is perfect, and no marriage is perfect," Vasquez sura told the outlet.
She went on to say that the incident is "not a justification for ICE's action of abducting him and deporting him to a country where he was supposed to be protected from deportation." "Kilmar has always been a loving partner and father, and I will continue to stand by him and demand justice for him," she added.
The DOJ released additional information on Wednesday to support its claim that he is a member of MS-13 and he should stay in the country's CECOT mega-prison.
The 13-page document claims he had a street name, "Chele," and his rank was "chequeo," even though it did not clarify what the term entails. It added that he was seen socializing with confirmed MS-13 members in a parking lot in Maryland in 2019, and that a reliable source told police that he is an active member of the gang's Western cliques.
Describing the 2019 incident, officers said they apprehended a group of people after seeing them discarding "several unknown items under a parked vehicle." Police also found "two small plastic bottles containing marijuana."
Discussing the interview with Abrego Garcia, officers noticed his clothing: "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 document added.
The case of Abrego Garcia is dominating headlines as a result of the Trump administration's reluctance to comply with the Supreme Court ruling requiring it take steps to bring him back, as well as the Salvadoran government's.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) traveled to El Salvador on Wednesday to help secure the release of Abrego Garcia, but claimed the country's vice president told him the Trump administration is financially compensating the country to continue detaining Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia at CECOT.
The senator also requested to see or speak with Garcia but was told no such visit could be arranged without advanced approval and coordination with the U.S. Embassy. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has said that even if Garcia were to return, he would be detained again and deported.
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