Recently released footage captures the encounter between Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man wrongfully deported to El Salvador from the United States, and state troopers in Tennessee in 2022. The video, obtained by ABC News through a public records request, shows members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol questioning Abrego Garcia on the side of Interstate 40 after dark. Despite the traffic stop lasting over an hour, Abrego Garcia was neither charged nor arrested during this incident, which is distinct from the one in March when federal agents in Maryland detained him and led to his deportation to El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran resident who had been residing in Maryland with his wife and children, was deported to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison in March. This deportation occurred despite a court order from 2019 preventing his removal to El Salvador due to fears of persecution, with the Trump administration alleging his affiliation with the criminal gang MS-13, a claim refuted by his wife and legal representatives.
In April, the Department of Homeland Security revealed details of the 2022 traffic stop in a press release, suggesting that Abrego Garcia was suspected of involvement in human trafficking. The encounter, captured on body camera, resulted in a warning citation for driving with an expired license, as the officer chose not to issue citations for driving infractions. Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, explained that he worked in construction and occasionally transported groups of workers between job sites, possibly leading to being pulled over while driving with passengers.
The DHS press release stated that the traffic stop occurred on Dec. 1, contradicting the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s incident report, which indicated it was on Nov. 30 in the Cookeville area, around 80 miles east of Nashville. During the stop, the trooper informed Abrego Garcia that he was speeding and inquired about the multiple seats in the vehicle, prompting questions about the car and its contents. Abrego Garcia mentioned waiting for an immigration document, residing in Maryland, and clarified that the car belonged to his employer. Following a K-9 inspection of the vehicle exterior, no illicit items were discovered.
Timeline: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Wrongful Deportation to El SalvadorTroopers later allowed Abrego Garcia to sit in the back of a patrol car to escape the cold weather while they conversed and questioned his companions, but nobody was detained at the scene.”Thank you, bro,” Abrego Garcia expresses his gratitude. “Thank you so much.”Abrego Garcia was eventually permitted to drive away, exchanging a smile with the trooper who had pulled him over as he exited the patrol car and rejoined the Chevrolet.The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security obscured license plates and censored parts of the traffic stop audio.A federal judge recently ordered the Trump administration to assist in Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, a decision unanimously upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, citing deference to the Executive Branch in foreign affairs matters.While acknowledging the erroneous deportation of Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, the Trump administration contends that his alleged ties to MS-13 render him ineligible for re-entry to the U.S. Various administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, have suggested that resolution lies with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.Newly released footage captures Abrego Garcia’s 2022 Tennessee traffic stop, as reported on abcnews.go.com.
