Ábrego García alleges "severe beatings," torture in El Salvador prison
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A person holds a sign with a photo of Kilmar Ábrego García during a New York City protest in April. Photo: Adam Gray/Getty Images
Kilmar Ábrego García alleged in an amended complaint Wednesday that he "was subjected to severe mistreatment" while detained in the El Salvador mega-prison CECOT after being mistakenly deported to the country.
The big picture: The U.S. resident who spent nearly three months in CECOT is now detained in Tennessee after being returned to the U.S. and is awaiting trial on human smuggling charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
- A federal judge had last week ordered his release from prison, but another judge ruled on Monday that Ábrego García should remain in jail for now over concerns from his legal team that he could be deported if freed while awaiting trial.
Driving the news: Lawyers for Ábrego García alleged in a Wednesday filing that the father, who is originally from El Salvador, "was subjected to severe mistreatment upon arrival at CECOT, including but not limited to severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture."
Zoom in: Among the allegations outlined in the filing to the District Court of Maryland are that Ábrego García and 20 other Salvadorans were "forced to kneel" in a cell from 9pm to 6am "with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion."
- It adds, "During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself. The detainees were confined to metal bunks with no mattresses in an overcrowded cell with no windows, bright lights that remained on 24 hours a day, and minimal access to sanitation."
- Ábrego García allegedly suffered a significant deterioration in his physical condition during his first two weeks at CECOT and his weight dropped from about 215 pounds to 184lb, according to the filing.
- The lawyers allege that Ábrego García and four others were transferred in April "to a different module in CECOT, where they were photographed with mattresses and better food — photos that appeared to be staged to document improved conditions."
What they're saying: The Trump administration has accused Ábrego García of being a criminal and a member of the MS-13 gang, which his attorneys have denied.
- Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin doubled down on this assertion in a Wednesday evening statement.
- McLaughlin also called him an "alleged human trafficker, and a domestic abuser" — in reference to allegations made by his wife, who said she sought a "civil protective order" out of caution after "surviving domestic violence" in a previous relationship.
- "The media's sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart, yet they continue to peddle his sob story," McLaughlin said. "We hear far too much about gang members and criminals' false sob stories and not enough about their victims."
- Representatives for the Justice Department declined to comment, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on Wednesday evening.
Go deeper: White House: Report Ábrego García will be deported again "fake news"
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
