White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called an unscheduled briefing Wednesday afternoon to lay out the evidence against the deported MS-13 terrorist Democrats are desperately trying to bring back to the United States.
Joining Leavitt was Patty Morin, whose daughter, Rachel, 37, was raped and murdered by illegal immigrant Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez in Maryland in 2023. Morin stood by as Leavitt laid out the case President Donald Trump’s administration had made against Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Garcia was initially deported to El Salvador due to an “administrative error,” but in the days since, administration officials have stated that he is connected to the violent gang MS-13 and had an active deportation order — all points Leavitt reiterated during the briefing.
Leavitt criticized Maryland Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen, who flew to El Salvador to “check on” Garcia and attempt to get him released and returned to the United States.
“Today, we have officially learned Democrat officials still refuse to accept the will of the American people. Maryland’s Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen rushed to Dulles Airport this morning to fly to El Salvador, potentially using taxpayer dollars to demand the release of deported, illegal alien, MS-13 terrorist,” Leavitt said.
“The Democrats and media in this room have routinely and wrongly labeled this man — Kilmar Abrego Garcia — as a Maryland father. There is no Maryland father. Let me reiterate: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist who was deported back to his home country.”
“And when Abrego Garcia was originally arrested, he was wearing a sweatshirt with rolls of money covering the ears, mouth, and eyes of presidents on various currencies and denominations,” Leavitt continued. “This is a known MS-13 gang symbol of hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. Abrego Garcia was also arrested with two other well-known members of the vicious MS-13 gang. And two separate judges found Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13 and that finding has never been disputed.”
Leavitt went on to lay out details from several newer reports indicating that Garcia’s wife had filed multiple protection orders against him, alleging domestic violence.
“Just this morning, it was revealed through Maryland court documents that Abrego Garcia’s wife petitioned for an order of protection against him for two instances of domestic violence in may of 2021. And here is the order right here,” Leavitt said.
“It’s appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incapable of having any shred of common sense or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens,” she added.
“This is from a court in Maryland, so not only are Democrats rushing to defend an illegal criminal, foreign terrorist gang member, but an apparent woman beater. To set all of that aside, the basic fact that he was illegally in our country and had a lawful deportation order made him subject to removal back to his home country of El Salvador.”
.@PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “Today, we have officially learned Democrat officials still refuse to accept the will of the American people. Maryland’s Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen rushed to Dulles Airport this morning to fly to El Salvador, potentially using taxpayer dollars… pic.twitter.com/0OznM4nZqC
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 16, 2025
Leavitt did not stop there, adding additional details about MS-13 and the reasons that Trump had classified the violent gang members as foreign terrorists.
“To remind the media and Democrat Party, MS-13 are among the most vicious and dangerous individuals in this world,” she said. “They pose a direct threat to the United States, El Salvador, and any other country who maintains basic law and order. MS-13 rapes innocent girls and women, runs sex trafficking operations, murders for sport, and terrorizes law-abiding people. That’s why the El Salvador President Bukele made clear he will not release this MS-13 gang member from his prison.”
“That is not enough — all of that is not enough to stop the Democrat Party from their lies. The number one issue they are focused on right now is bringing back this illegal alien terrorist to America, but where are the Democrats applauding southern border crossings just hit a record low?”
Patty Morin, mother of a woman brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant ignored by most of the White House press corps, begs reporters: “Please tell the truth.”
One of the most powerful moments I’ve ever witnessed. pic.twitter.com/M9937VGt4W
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 16, 2025
Van Hollen’s trip to El Salvador turned out to be a bust, however. He revealed on Wednesday afternoon that he had not been allowed to arrange a visit to the mega-prison where Garcia is being held, nor was he able to convince Salvadoran officials to allow Garcia’s return to the United States.
