Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Journey From Maryland Man To Uganda Man: The Definitive Timeline

The Left’s favorite misunderstood illegal alien gang member and alleged wife-beater, “Maryland man” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, may soon find himself deep in Africa, courtesy of a Trump-sponsored one-way ticket to Uganda.

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2011, has become the Left’s cause célèbre over the summer after the Trump administration ramped up deportations to record numbers. Never mind that the so-called “Maryland Man” was charged with human trafficking, identified as an MS-13 member, and had a restraining order for allegedly beating his wife, the Left insists on chanting, “We are all Kilmar!”

His notorious journey began after scoring a 2019 “withholding of removal” order despite being an identified gang member. Then, in the spring of 2025, the Trump administration deported him to an El Salvadoran prison where a Democrat senator visited him while “sipping margaritas.” Now the Maryland man faces deportation to Uganda after months of court battles. The entire saga perfectly captures how the Left’s attempt to spin Abrego Garcia into a folk hero actually ends up demonstrating the effectiveness of Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown.

Here’s the complete timeline of how a violent gang member became the Left’s favorite “Maryland man,” but may soon end up a “Uganda man.”

2011-2019: MS-13 and the Original Court Order

After entering the U.S. illegally in 2011, Abrego Garcia moved to Maryland, where he met his girlfriend, Jennifer Vasquez Sura. He moved in with her in 2018, following her pregnancy. Several months later, the supposed father of Vasquez Sura’s two previous children filed for an emergency custody hearing due to serious concerns regarding Abrego Garcia’s affiliation with MS-13.

In early 2019, Garcia was arrested in a Home Depot parking lot along with three others and questioned about having potential MS-13 knowledge or affiliation, with the Prince George’s Police Department filing a “gang field interview sheet” (GFIS) that indicated Abrego Garcia was affiliated with MS-13.

[Officers] observed [Abrego Garcia] 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 meaning of the clothing is to represent ‘ver, oir y callar’ or ‘see no evil, hear no evil and say no evil’. Wearing the Chicago Bulls hat represents thay [sic] they are a member in good standing with the MS-13. Officers contacted a past proven and reliable source of information, who advised Kilmar Armando ABREGO-GARCIA is an active member of MS-13 with the Westerns clique. The confidential source further advised that he is the rank of ‘Chequeo’ with the moniker of ‘Chele’.

After being handed over to ICE, Immigration Judge Elizabeth A. Kessler denied Abrego Garcia bail in his first immigration hearing, writing “the fact that a ‘past, proven, and reliable source of information’ verified the Respondent’s gang membership, rank, and gang name is sufficient to support that the Respondent is a gang member, and the Respondent has failed to present evidence to rebut that assertion.”

Abrego Garcia and his defense team vehemently rejected any accusations of gang affiliation and immediately filed for asylum, arguing that MS-13 was actually targeting Abrego Garcia.

Immigration Judge David M. Jones denied Abrego Garcia’s asylum request, instead granting him a “withholding of removal” from the U.S. due to his “well-grounded fear of future persecution. That order theoretically barred the government from deporting him without returning to court.

2021: Domestic Violence

In 2021, Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, obtained a temporary protective order against Abrego Garcia for domestic violence.

Court documents show Abrego Garcia “slapped her, hit her with an object, and detained her against her will,” “ripped [Sura’s] shorts and shirt off” during a violent episode, “punched and scratched her eye,” causing bleeding.

“At this point I am afraid to be close to him,” Sura is quoted as saying. “I have multiple photos/videos of how [violent] he can be.”

Kilmar Abrego Garcia had a history of violence and was not the upstanding “Maryland Man” the media has portrayed him as.

According to court filings, Garcia’s wife sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, claiming he punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt,… pic.twitter.com/FpSV0k3i90

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) April 16, 2025

In documents published by the New York Post, Abrego Garcia bragged that he could kill his wife and get away with it during a petty argument over a phone Abrego Garcia took from her.

“I also have a [recording] that [he] told my ex-mother-in-law that even if he kills me no one can do anything to him,” The New York Post reported, during which Abrego Garcia locked their children in their bedroom and locked Sura out of the house.

“Me and my kids are afraid now. He kicked me, pushed me, slapped me in the face and threatened me,” she reportedly stated in the document.

This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found… pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2025

Following his deportation this year, Sura said in a statement regarding the order, “After surviving domestic violence in a previous relationship, I acted out of caution after a disagreement with Kilmar by seeking a civil protective order in case things escalated,” Vasquez Sura said via statement, adding the situation did not escalate.

“We were able to work through this situation privately as a family, including by going to counseling.”

2022: Human Trafficking

In late 2022, the Tennessee Highway Patrol stopped Garcia for speeding and erratic driving. After pulling him over, they suspected a potential human smuggling operation was underway.

According to DHS documents, the officer noted that Garcia was likely “hauling these people for money, probably to Maryland.” The van was filled with eight non-English-speaking men without licenses, save for Garcia, whose license had expired.

BREAKING: Body cam footage obtained by Tennessee Star shows Tennessee Trooper saying Kilmar Abrego Garcia “hauling these people for money” pic.twitter.com/4FHWOIjSz5

— Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) May 2, 2025

After calling the Biden-era ICE and FBI and receiving no response while Abrego Garcia was detained, officers let Abrego Garcia go with a citation for his expired license despite their suspicions.

March 2025: First Deportation

April 2025 – Democrat Sips Margaritas With “Maryland Man”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) flew to El Salvador to visit his “constituent” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had endured an “abduction and unlawful deportation.” The trip immediately went south after Van Hollen was denied entry by local authorities.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele had said before Van Hollen’s trip that he would not be returning Abrego Garcia, stating, “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?” adding, “I don’t have the power to return him.”

After he was finally allowed to see Abrego Garcia, Van Hollen became the subject of ruthless mockery online for “sipping margaritas” with an alleged gang member in supposedly inhumane conditions.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” & “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!???? pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 18, 2025

Van Hollen was forced to abandon the pity party for Abrego Garcia momentarily, claiming he didn’t sip “any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is” out of the glasses with what appeared to be either salt or sugar on the rim with a cherry garnish.

Shortly following Van Hollen’s El Salvador escapade, the Supreme Court ruled partially against Trump, ordering the administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States.

May/June 2025 – Return To America, and DHS v. Obama Judges 

On June 6, Abrego Garcia returned to the U.S. to face federal human smuggling charges in Tennessee. The federal government indicted Abrego Garcia as part of a smuggling ring that allegedly trafficked thousands of illegal aliens, including children and MS-13 members, over the past decade.

Garcia was arraigned in a Nashville federal court on June 14, where he faces 10 years in prison if convicted. Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to all counts as the trial began, and his lawyers argued he should remain in the custody of U.S. Marshals after his lawyers expressed concern that he would be deported before his criminal case concluded.

I’m at the federal courthouse in Nashville reporting for @realDailyWire on the arraignment of suspected MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Dozens of protesters are outside the building, holding signs like “fuck ICE” and other pro-illegal alien messages. pic.twitter.com/JAxpn3798j

— Leif Le Mahieu (@leif_lemahieu) June 13, 2025

A week later, U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes ordered Abrego Garcia’s release before his trial: “Overall, the Court cannot find from the evidence presented that Abrego’s release clearly and convincingly poses an irremediable danger to other persons or to the community.” The judge acknowledged that ICE would likely detain Abrego Garcia following his release, and delayed the release until mid-July at the request of his lawyers.

On June 26, Federal prosecutors announced a “third country” to facilitate Garcia’s deportation following a Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the administration’s legal right to do so, bringing Abrego Garcia closer to a second deportation.

July 2025 – Biden-Backed Group Connection Exposed

The Daily Wire revealed in early July that Abrego Garcia was a member of CASA, a far-left organization dedicated to lobbying on behalf of illegal aliens.

The far-left organization said in a statement, “CASA is outraged that ICE deported CASA member Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in violation of a court order and at grave personal danger,” falsely accusing the Trump administration of “disappearing” Abrego Garcia.

The group offers members a range of services tailored to their membership tier, including legal deportation defense, vocational training, and assistance with citizenship applications. Abrego Garcia’s family appeared to be consulting his family at a Nashville press conference, although it is unclear what membership tier he belonged to.

CASA received millions of dollars from the Biden Administration through DHS grants for its “innovations in citizen preparation,” despite calling for the abolishment of ICE, deeming it a “rogue agency” that has “caused immense harm to our communities.”

On July 11, in Abrego Garcia’s ongoing human smuggling trial, the DOJ revealed several willing “third countries” as potential destinations for Abrego Garcia, with South Sudan being heavily considered after eight criminal illegal aliens, including Cuban and Vietnamese nationals, were deported there successfully.

On July 23, Tennessee District Judge Waverly Crenshaw ruled against the federal government, ordering Abrego Garcia be released on bail in the next 30 days. That same day, Maryland District Judge Paula Xinis barred ICE from immediately deporting Abrego Garcia, requiring a 72-hour notice to the court before any deportation proceedings could take place.

August 2025 – Uganda Man?

After his release from prison on August 22, Abrego Garcia rallied with supporters, unironically chanting “We are all Kilmar,” before turning himself in to ICE several days later.

https://x.com/theblaze/status/1960080135689797880

“Today, ICE law enforcement arrested Kilmar Abrego Garcia and are processing him for deportation.” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on X. “President Trump is not going to allow this illegal alien, who is an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator, to terrorize American citizens any longer.”

He doesn’t belong here.
He won’t be staying here.
America is a safer nation without this MS-13 Gangbanger in it.

Good riddance. pic.twitter.com/ecldKZvuw3

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 26, 2025

On August 23, the DOJ gave Abrego Garcia an ultimatum: Accept the plea deal on serious smuggling charges or be deported to Uganda.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers yet again appealed the DOJ’s move to Obama-appointed Judge Paula Xinis, who ruled on August 25 that the Trump administration is “absolutely forbidden at this juncture to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia from the continental United States” until she can hold an evidentiary hearing on Abrego Garcia’s deportation to Uganda.

The judge extended the order blocking deportation until at least early October, when she is expected to rule on Abrego Garcia’s lawsuit, which challenges deportation to Uganda as “dangerous” and “unconstitutional,” despite a Supreme Court ruling last month upholding the legality of third-country deportations.

Still, the possibility remains that Kilmar Abrego Garcia will soon find himself deep in Africa, once all the legal and procedural dust finally settles.

Uganda Man.

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 26, 2025