Brade
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has released body camera footage from its 2022 encounter with KILMAR ABREGO-GARCIA, a 29-year-old Salvadorian national suspected of human trafficking. Abrego-Garcia, who illegally entered the United States in 2011 and was issued a deportation order in 2019, was deported in March 2023 and sent to the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador. Two previous judges concluded he was likely affiliated with the notorious MS-13 gang.
On November 30, 2022, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers pulled over Abrego-Garcia for a speeding violation. Body camera video, obtained by Fox News Digital through a public records request, shows Abrego-Garcia driving a vehicle with eight other male passengers. Troopers expressed suspicion about the unusually high number of passengers, with one officer remarking, “He’s hauling these people for money.”
During the traffic stop, troopers found $1,400 in cash and an invalid Maryland driver’s license in Abrego-Garcia’s possession. Upon entering his name into the National Crime Information Center, a warning appeared indicating he was suspected of being a gang member or terrorist. Despite their concerns, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not respond to the troopers’ call during the incident.
Abrego-Garcia’s criminal history includes a weapons conviction and multiple domestic violence allegations. Court records from Prince George’s County, Maryland, reveal that his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, filed a protective order in 2021, stating, “At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he has left me.”
In a controversial ruling, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis previously ordered the U.S. government to facilitate Abrego-Garcia’s return to the United States. However, he was ultimately deported earlier this year.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal immigration, human trafficking, and gang affiliations in the United States.
**Watch the body camera footage here:** [Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
**Source:** Fox News Digital
