US Vice President JD Vance has come under scrutiny for falsely claiming Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported Maryland father, was a convicted MS-13 gang member. Court documents revealed the deportation resulted from an administrative error, leading to widespread criticism and demands for accountability.
US Vice President JD Vance has come under fire for falsely claiming that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father deported to El Salvador, was a convicted MS-13 gang member. Online users, including Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, fact-checked Vance after he cited court documents that reportedly did not support his statement.
The controversy erupted when Jon Favreau, a former director of speechwriting for former US President Barack Obama, called out Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and Elon Musk over the deportation mistake. “You just admitted to accidentally sending an innocent father from Maryland to a torture dungeon in El Salvador. And you refuse to do anything about it,” he wrote.
To which Vance responded and wrote, “My comment is that according to the court document you apparently didn’t read he was a convicted MS-13 gang member with no legal right to be here. My further comment is that it’s gross to get fired up about gang members getting deported while ignoring citizens they victimise.”
However, users who examined the court filing found no mention of a conviction.
One user countered: “At the urging of JD Vance, I read the relevant court document. It does not say this...
By Matthew Knott and Nick Bonyhady April 19, 2025 — 5.54pm , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any tim...