Kilmar Abrego Garcia said he suffered severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation and psychological torture in the notorious El Salvador prison the Trump administration had deported him to in March, according to court documents filed Wednesday. The detailed allegations emerge as the Maryland father continues to face legal battles following his controversial deportation and subsequent return to the United States.
The case of Kilmar Ábrego García has captured national attention after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador despite having protected legal status in the U.S. The latest court filing provides disturbing details about his treatment while imprisoned in the Central American nation’s maximum-security facilities.
Table of Contents
Key Points Summary
- Kilmar Ábrego García alleges severe torture during El Salvador imprisonment
- New court filing details graphic accounts of physical and psychological abuse
- Maryland father was wrongfully deported despite court order barring deportation
- Currently faces federal human smuggling charges after return to U.S.
- Case highlights broader issues with U.S. deportation policies
Detailed Torture Allegations Against Kilmar Ábrego García
He was “forcibly seated” on a bus and placed in a second set of chains and handcuffs, then “repeatedly struck by officers when he attempted to raise his head,” the filing states. The court documents paint a harrowing picture of systematic abuse within El Salvador’s prison system.
According to the latest legal filings, Kilmar Ábrego García endured multiple forms of torture during his months-long detention. The allegations include severe physical beatings that left him with lasting injuries, deliberate sleep deprivation designed to break his psychological resistance, and various forms of mental torture administered by prison guards.
The filing describes how guards would deny basic necessities including adequate food and medical care. Kilmar Ábrego García reportedly lost significant weight during his imprisonment due to malnutrition, while being denied treatment for injuries sustained during the alleged beatings.
Background of the Kilmar Ábrego García Case
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native living Maryland, was mistakenly deported in March to a mega-prison in his home country of El Salvador — despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution The deportation violated existing legal protections that had been put in place due to documented threats against his life.
According to court filings, Kilmar Abrego Garcia was born in July 1995 in the neighborhood of Los Nogales in El Salvador, where he helped his family run a business making pupusas, a local cuisine. He has said he and his family received death threats and were extorted by the local gang Barrio 18.
The 29-year-old fled El Salvador in 2011 as a teenager seeking asylum from gang violence. He had built a life in Maryland with his wife and children when immigration authorities detained him during what they later admitted was an administrative error.
Prison Conditions and Transfer Details
Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador whom the Trump administration illegally deported on March 15, 2025 in what it called “an administrative error”, and had imprisoned without trial in the Salvadoran maximum security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)
The CECOT facility, known officially as the Terrorism Confinement Center, has been criticized by human rights organizations for its harsh conditions. The human rights organization Cristosal reported last year that at least 261 people have died in Salvadoran prisons since 2022
After initial placement at CECOT, Kilmar Ábrego García was later transferred to another facility. Documents the Justice Department filed in federal court on April 20 subsequently confirmed that facility to be the Centro Industrial in Santa Ana. The transfer raised additional concerns among advocates about his safety and well-being.
Current Legal Proceedings for Kilmar Ábrego García
Following intensive legal efforts and international pressure, Kilmar Ábrego García was returned to the United States in June 2025. However, his legal troubles are far from over. Federal prosecutors have charged him with human smuggling offenses, leading to new detention battles.
A federal judge in Tennessee ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the man the government mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador — to be released from prison until his trial on federal charges. The release order was subsequently appealed by government attorneys.
The government on Sunday appealed a federal judge’s order to release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia pending trial on human smuggling charges, another chapter in the saga of the Maryland father who had been erroneously deported to El Salvador
The federal charges stem from allegations that he was involved in human trafficking operations as a member of MS-13. An indictment filed under seal last month accuses him of conspiracy to transport aliens and unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens from 2016 to 2025 as a member of the MS-13 transnational gang.
Government Response and Ongoing Controversy
Government officials have defended their actions while acknowledging the deportation error. “Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a MS-13 gang member, illegal alien from El Salvador, and suspected human trafficker. The facts reveal he was pulled over with eight individuals in a car on an admitted three-day journey from Texas to Maryland with no luggage,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The case has sparked broader discussions about deportation policies and the treatment of individuals in immigration custody. Legal advocates argue that the torture allegations against Kilmar Ábrego García demonstrate the dangers faced by deportees sent to countries with poor human rights records.
The filing of these detailed torture allegations marks a significant development in what has become one of the most closely watched immigration cases of 2025. As legal proceedings continue, the case of Kilmar Ábrego García raises fundamental questions about due process, deportation procedures, and the protection of individuals from torture and abuse.
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