Kilmar Ábrego García, a Maryland man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador and detained in one of that country’s most notorious prisons, endured physical and psychological torture during his three-month stint in Salvadorian custody, according to court documents filed on Wednesday.
While held at the so-called Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) in El Salvador, García and 20 other men were forced to kneel from approximately 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Prison guards would strike anyone who collapsed from exhaustion while kneeling, and García was denied access to the bathroom, resulting in him soiling himself during this time. Detainees were held in an overcrowded, windowless cell with bright lights on 24 hours a day, and they were confined to metal bunk beds without mattresses.
Ábrego García’s testimony provides one of the first detailed accounts of the conditions within Cecot, a megaprison that human rights groups claim is designed to disappear people. His lawyers reported that he lost 31 pounds during the first two weeks of confinement. Later, he and four others were transferred to a different part of the prison, where they were photographed with mattresses and better food, likely to fabricate an image of improved conditions.
The filings also reveal that officials within the prison acknowledged that Ábrego García was not a gang member and that his tattoos did not signify a gang affiliation. They kept him in a cell separate from those accused of gang membership but threatened to move him into a cell with gang members, claiming they would “tear” him apart.
Ábrego García is currently in federal custody in Nashville, having been returned to the US by the Trump administration, which initially claimed it was powerless to do so. The US justice department wants him to stand trial on human-smuggling charges and has also accused him of being a member of the street gang MS-13, with Donald Trump claiming that his tattoos indicate gang membership. Ábrego García has pleaded not guilty to these charges, which his attorneys argue are an attempt to justify his wrongful deportation.
On Sunday, a Tennessee judge ordered his release as his criminal case unfolds, but prosecutors stated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would take him into custody if released, resulting in potential deportation before his trial. However, a justice department lawyer later stated that the administration would deport García to a third country, contradicting previous statements.
Given the ongoing confusion, Ábrego García’s lawyers have requested that their client remain in criminal custody, fearing he would otherwise be deported. Future hearings in both Maryland and Tennessee will be crucial in determining whether Ábrego García can remain in the US and be released from jail.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/02/kilmar-abrego-garcia-tortured-cecot
