Recent revelations from court documents have shed light on a troubling case involving the ex-husband of a U.S. citizen who is now married to a deported individual with alleged ties to the infamous MS-13 gang. In a 2018 custody petition, the ex-husband, Edwin Trejo Ramos, expressed grave concerns for the safety of their children, stating that their lives were in jeopardy.
Despite the increasing evidence linking Kilmar Abrego Garcia to this violent criminal organization, Democratic lawmakers appear to be advocating for his return to the United States. This raises questions about the motivations behind such support, especially considering the serious allegations at hand.
The emergency custody petition, initially reported by Fox 45 News, detailed alarming claims regarding the behavior of Jennifer Vasquez Sura, including a suicide attempt and her decision to leave their children in the care of an 11-year-old babysitter. In his plea for an emergency hearing, Ramos pointed out, “She is dating a gang member,” yet his request was ultimately dismissed in 2019 due to jurisdictional issues, as also noted by The New York Post.
Although the petition did not explicitly name Abrego Garcia, the timeline of Sura’s relationship with him, which included a marriage conducted through a glass wall while Garcia was detained, strongly implies his involvement as the alleged gang member.
As reported by The Post:
Abrego Garcia and Sura, a U.S. citizen, began their relationship in 2016. They moved in together in 2018 and married in June 2019 while Garcia was held in an immigration facility, separated by a security glass wall. Their son was born a few months later.
The chronology of their relationship lends credence to the notion that the petition’s claims were indeed referencing Abrego Garcia.
Both Abrego Garcia and his family maintain that he is not affiliated with the notorious gang.
This assertion is yet another piece of a larger puzzle linking the 29-year-old Salvadoran to the violent MS-13 organization.
In 2021, Abrego Garcia’s wife filed for a protective order against him, citing domestic violence, which paints a rather different picture than the one presented by supporters who depict him as the ideal Maryland father. According to The Chesapeake Today, “Jennifer Vasquez filed for a protective order due to domestic violence from her husband on May 13, 2021, and a final order was issued on June 17, 2021, by Prince George’s County District Court Judge LaKeecia Allen.” This judge, who previously served as a prosecutor, was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2024 by Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, after authorities confirmed his links to MS-13, violating the terms of his residency in the U.S.
The evidence leading to this decision stemmed from a 2019 ruling by an immigration judge, who determined that Garcia was affiliated with MS-13 based on testimony from a confidential informant. This ruling was pivotal in denying Garcia’s request for bond.
His request for asylum was denied because he failed to file within the one-year window mandated by U.S. immigration law. However, he was granted “withholding of removal,” a limited protection that allowed him to reside and work legally in the U.S. due to fears of persecution from another gang in El Salvador. This status, however, did not lead to permanent residency or citizenship, which he sought through asylum.
In 2025, MS-13 was officially classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States, which further complicates Garcia’s immigration status and renders his ability to remain in the U.S. legally untenable.
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) explicitly states that applicants are ineligible for “withholding of removal” if there are reasonable grounds to believe they have committed serious nonpolitical crimes or pose a danger to U.S. security, which includes terrorism.
Some news outlets argue that Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation was unjustified since he was never formally charged with a crime. However, affiliation with a violent transnational criminal organization is legally sufficient grounds for deportation.
