Politics
ABC News Finally Caves, Drops ‘Maryland Man’ Moniker For Suspected MS-13 Gangbanger
For weeks, ABC News referred to Kilmar Abrego Garcia—an illegal immigrant accused of domestic abuse and alleged gang ties—as a “Maryland man.” That framing has now quietly changed.
In a subtle but telling shift, ABC’s updated coverage now identifies Abrego Garcia as a “Salvadoran man,” walking back its earlier portrayal that emphasized his U.S. residence rather than his immigration status or criminal profile. The media pivot comes amid mounting scrutiny of the case, and critics say it’s a long-overdue correction that exposes a deeper agenda in how legacy outlets frame immigration narratives.
The controversy centers around Abrego Garcia’s 2025 deportation to El Salvador, despite previous protections from removal due to claims he faced gang-related threats in his home country. ABC’s April 14 report labeled him a “Maryland man,” invoking sympathy for a resident supposedly wronged by the system. But a follow-up story on May 6 dropped that framing altogether, instead acknowledging his Salvadoran nationality.
Conservative watchdogs noticed the narrative shift immediately. “ABC News has quietly changed their reporting on Kilmar Abrego Garcia from ‘Maryland man’ to ‘Salvadoran man,’” one post observed. “I think they owe the entire Trump Administration an apology.”
ABC News, with zero acknowledgement of their own propaganda, has quietly shifted its reporting on gangbanger and wife-beating illegal Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
April 14: “Maryland man”
May 6: “Salvadoran man”And just like that, the Maryland Man Hoax is dead. https://t.co/B9tFYzw068
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 7, 2025
Charlie Kirk put it more bluntly: “With zero acknowledgment of their own propaganda, ABC News quietly shifted its reporting on gangbanger and wife-beating illegal Kilmar Abrego Garcia.”
Abrego Garcia first entered the U.S. from El Salvador as a teenager, claiming he was fleeing violence. He later settled in Maryland, married a U.S. citizen, and had children. In 2019, he was granted a deferral of removal under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. That didn’t stop his March 2025 deportation, carried out under the reinstated Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement push.
A demonstrator is seen during an anti-Trump protest in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2025. Besides the national capital, demonstrators also gather in other major cities.
The administration has cited evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13, one of the most violent street gangs in the world. Authorities point to gang-affiliated tattoos and a 2022 traffic stop as key indicators of criminal involvement. Although supporters argue there’s no formal conviction linking him to MS-13, opponents argue that legal technicalities shouldn’t shield dangerous individuals from deportation.
A legal tug-of-war has ensued, with a federal judge ordering the administration to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. The Supreme Court upheld that decision, but the Justice Department has claimed it lacks the legal tools to enforce repatriation now that the deportation has already occurred.
ABC News has not publicly acknowledged the shift in language nor explained the editorial decision behind the rewording. Recently, federal authorities have been quietly probing a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee tied to Garcia.
Sources familiar with the case told ABC News that the U.S. Department of Justice has been actively investigating the incident, which some officials believe may hold key details about Abrego Garcia’s alleged ties to criminal activity. As part of the investigation, federal agents recently interviewed a convicted felon, Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes, currently serving time in an Alabama prison. Hernandez-Reyes, 38, was listed as the owner of the vehicle Abrego Garcia was driving when he was pulled over by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in late 2022, the sources said.
During the stop, police discovered eight passengers inside the car. Abrego Garcia reportedly told officers they had been doing construction work in Missouri.
