Tom Homan, the former immigration chief under the Trump administration, has strongly criticized Democratic lawmakers for continuing to support Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported migrant who is now facing serious allegations of domestic abuse. Homan called him a public safety risk and said his removal from the U.S. was necessary.
Abrego Garcia was deported in 2023, but a past protective order from 2020 has now resurfaced, accusing him of repeated abuse against his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and emotional harm to her children. The court filing describes incidents where he allegedly kicked, slapped, and shoved her, and even held her against her will.
Vasquez Sura also claimed that she had a recording in which Abrego Garcia said he could kill her and face no consequences. She detailed several violent events, including being dragged by the hair and shoved into walls. These events reportedly happened between 2019 and 2021.
Despite these claims, some Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, have shown support for Abrego Garcia. They argue that he was wrongly deported and is not a gang member. Van Hollen and others even traveled to El Salvador to meet with him and push for his return to the U.S.
Homan has strongly disagreed with this support, saying Democrats are defending the wrong person. Speaking on Fox News, he said, “They’re supporting a gang member, a public safety threat, a wife beater—rather than speaking with families of crime victims.” He also said he hoped they would continue visiting El Salvador, claiming it made their priorities clear to the public.
The Trump administration had once admitted Abrego Garcia’s deportation may have been a mistake, but it still argued there was enough evidence linking him to the MS-13 gang. Authorities pointed to a past arrest for loitering, tattoos, clothing, and information from an informant as proof of gang activity. However, his lawyers said he was only looking for work at the time.
In 2022, Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding in a car registered to a human smuggler. Although he was suspected of being involved in smuggling, he was not charged. Still, these incidents have raised questions about his background and whether he posed a risk.
The Supreme Court recently supported a lower court’s decision that the U.S. government should help bring Abrego Garcia back. Even though the Biden administration has agreed to remove barriers, Homan pointed out that the decision is still up to El Salvador. “Are we supposed to kidnap someone from a sovereign country?” Homan asked, referring to President Bukele’s refusal to return Abrego Garcia.
Homan defended the Trump-era immigration actions and said that critics who accuse them of denying due process are ignoring the facts. “Immigration courts already made the decision,” he said. He added that Democrats will continue losing public support if they back people like Abrego Garcia.