Trump Administration Clashes with NY Times Over Deported Immigrant's Status
The Trump White House has publicly criticized The New York Times for its coverage of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported immigrant from Maryland, sparking a heated debate over his criminal history and deportation status.
The controversy began when The New York Times published an article titled “Senator Meets With Wrongly Deported Maryland Man In El Salvador,” focusing on Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen’s visit to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador. Garcia, a 29-year-old who was deported to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador, was initially reported as having been wrongly deported due to an administrative error. However, the Trump administration contested this narrative, asserting that Garcia is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang and was correctly deported.
In response to the Times’ headline, the White House took to social media to edit and criticize the article, removing the words “wrongly” and “Maryland man” and replacing them with “Deported MS-13 Illegal Alien.” The administration’s social media post also directly addressed Senator Van Hollen, stating that Garcia would not be returning to the U.S. President Trump further escalated the situation by calling out Van Hollen on his Truth Social account, labeling the senator’s actions as grandstanding.
Senator Van Hollen, during his visit to El Salvador, expressed concerns over Garcia’s treatment, describing it as an illegal abduction and highlighting the restrictions placed on Garcia’s communication with his family and lawyers. Despite the administration’s stance, both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the facilitation of Garcia’s return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.
Adding complexity to the case, allegations of domestic violence against Garcia by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez, surfaced, further fueling the debate over his character and the appropriateness of his deportation. The clash between the Trump administration and The New York Times underscores the broader tensions surrounding immigration policy and media coverage during Trump’s presidency.