‘Trump used fake image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia hand with tattoos’: Netizens after US president links it to MS-13 gang

After the 29-year-old Kilmar Abrego Gracia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, made the first appearance since his arrest, US President Donald Trump took to social media to share an alleged altered photo of Kilmar's hand and linked it to the MS-13 gang, stating he is “not fine and innocent”.

“This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc. I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said.

Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?

Kilmar, a citizen of El Salvador, was illegally deported from the United States on March 15, 2025. He was residing with his wife and three children in Maryland. Kilmar was arrested in a Home Depot parking lot in Hyattsville, including three other men for “loitering".

The Trump administration accused him of being a member of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang and used that to defend itself for deporting him to his home country irrespective of a judge’s order from 2019 barring him from being sent there. It further called the move “an administrative error”. He met Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, in El Salvador on Thursday after his temporary release on April 17.

Netizens react

One of the users mentioned, “Trump posts faked Image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand. Matt Novak of Gizmodo pts out the photo of Abrego Garcia w/Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) from Thurs clearly shows no “MS-13” tattoo shop on either hand - nor in earlier photos”. Another said, ”Why did Donald Trump just lie to the American people even more about Kilmar Ábrego García being a gang member? Just had ChatGPT closely examine this photo that Donald Trump is holding, and clearly, even AI technology can confirm that the "MS13" was photoshopped onto this image."

Why does US want Kilmar to stay in El Salvador?

“If he [Mr Ábrego García] ever ends up back in the United States, he would immediately be deported again. He will never live in the United States of America,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing. She again accused Kilmar of being a member of the MS-13 gang, citing court findings, but his lawyer and family have refuted that he was ever in the gang.

What does El Salvador say about Kilmar?

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said earlier this week that he did not "have the power" to do so. “How can I return him to the United States? Like if I smuggle him into the United States? Of course I'm not going to do it. The question is preposterous, ” he said, adding “We’re not very fond of releasing terrorists” when asked if he would be released in his own country.