JD Vance has a lot to say about a recent incident that shifted media focus to him from Donald Trump and, of course, his newly found best friend, Elon Musk! Last month, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was accused of being linked to the violent MS-13 gang and was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.
Following his deportation, JD Vance stated that “Back in 2019, an immigration judge reviewed all the evidence and determined that this person we sent to El Salvador was actually a member of MS-13,” adding that the judge found Garcia had “zero right” to remain in the U.S.
Speaking on Fox & Friends on Thursday, he continued to criticize the character of Gracia. He stated that he was far from “father of the year.” Furthermore, Gracia was claimed as a member of the MS-13 gang since he was found wearing a Chicago Bulls cap and a hoodie, as per court documents.
However, as per the Huff Post, reality seems something completely different. In September 2019, an immigration judge granted Kilmar Abrego Garcia “withholding of removal” status, meaning he couldn’t be deported unless a judge changed the decision. Garcia had come to the U.S. in 2011 after he left his country due to gang violence and came to America as an undocumented youngster from El Salvador to join his brother in Maryland.
Then, another judge provided him with protected status the same year since he was aware that Gracia would be in danger if he headed back to his country. However, Vance criticized Garcia, pointing out traffic violations and missed court dates, saying that he’s not as innocent as he seems.
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Irony was Gracia holds no criminal record, is married to an American citizen, and is a father to a U.S. citizen child with disabilities. He worked as a union sheet metal apprentice and checked in regularly with the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). He was abruptly detained when he went to pick his son up from school.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration publicly admitted its mistake of publicly deporting him. It claimed that it was an “administrative error” that was made in good faith. What was even more shocking was that despite a federal judge telling them to turn the planes around and bring them back to the U.S.
The same night he found out that Gracia and three others were in the aircraft, the Trump administration did not listen, as they were already in International waters by the time the judge’s orders came by. Meanwhile, JD Vance was mocked online for linking to a record that didn’t support his claim that Garcia was a “convicted” gang member and for not getting his facts right.
My comment is that according to the court document you apparently didn’t read he was a convicted MS-13 gang member with no legal right to be here.
My further comment is that it’s gross to get fired up about gang members getting deported while ignoring citizens they victimize. https://t.co/cPnloeyXYk
— JD Vance (@JDVance) April 1, 2025
Gracia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and her five-year-old son could not contact him after he was reported. Still, then she saw him in news coverage about the deportation flights President Donald Trump had ordered under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This law was carried out only three times in U.S. history. Abrego-Garcia is currently detained in El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center.
Gracia’s legal representatives are trying to bring him back to America. They are working towards preventing the state from making further payments to the Salvadoran government. Several others, like Gracia, have been suddenly deported since Donald Trump resumed office in January 2025 and passed strict deportation policies.
We hope Gracia remains safe and is given his due justice amidst all the overbearing political chaos within the country.
