Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, forcefully defended the deportation of an alleged MS-13 member during a contentious appearance on ABC News Live Tuesday, stating that the individual had been definitively identified as a gang member by the U.S. immigration system.
Speaking with anchor Jay O’Brien, McLaughlin addressed the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador despite a lower court order attempting to secure his return to the United States. When pressed by O’Brien for evidence of Garcia’s gang affiliation, McLaughlin pushed back against characterizing him merely as a “Maryland man.”
“I think what really matters to Americans is that this MS-13 gang member…is a MS-13 gang member,” McLaughlin stated. She asserted that the designation wasn’t just an administration claim: “There’s actually two separate immigration judges, Jay, who have confirmed and ruled that he is a member of MS-13.”
The exchange highlighted the legal complexities surrounding Garcia’s case. While United States District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered the Trump administration on April 4th to return Garcia to the U.S., the Supreme Court subsequently ruled that Judge Xinis had overstepped her authority.
The high court did note, however, that the U.S. should “facilitate” Garcia’s return should El Salvadoran authorities release him.
McLaughlin minced no words about the perceived threat posed by Garcia, alleging his involvement in serious criminal activity.
RELATED: President Of El Salvador Says He Won’t Return Deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia To U.S.
“He has been involved in human trafficking. He’s been involved in labor trafficking, and he should not be in this country,” she declared. “I don’t think you’d want to be his neighbor… remember, Jay, who is MS-13? They maim. They rape. They kill Americans for sport, and the American people are done with it. They said so on November 5, 2024.”
The Assistant Secretary also pointed to recent statements by El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, made during a Monday meeting with President Trump, indicating that Garcia would not be returned to the U.S.
“This guy was in our country illegally. He is an El Salvadorian citizen, and President Bukele gets to decide what to do with him,” McLaughlin said.
RELATED: ICE In Colorado Sends Homicide Suspect Back To El Salvador
This case unfolds against the backdrop of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement actions, including the designation of MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) as foreign terrorist organizations, and the use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite the deportation of gang members.
In the conclusion of the segment, McLaughlin criticized what she perceived as a misplaced media focus.
“What the media really should be caring about, what really matters, is these victims of Tren de Aragua and MS-13,” she argued. “Yet not one [media inquiry] is about the American victims of these individuals. Instead, it’s just doing the bidding of these gang members.”
Abrego Garcia remains in El Salvador, with his status subject to the decisions of the El Salvadoran government.
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