WASHINGTON
— A federal grand jury has indicted Abrego Garcia for his alleged role in a transnational human smuggling network that trafficked thousands of migrants — including women and children — across the U.S. border over the past nine years, officials announced Thursday.
Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador, was charged with alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling under Title 8 U.S.C. §1324. He was extradited to the United States following a request made to the government of El Salvador. U.S. officials credited Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for cooperating with the arrest warrant and returning Garcia to face charges in the U.S.
“We’re grateful to President Bukele for agreeing to return him to our country to face these very serious charges,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi
Garcia is accused of coordinating over 100 smuggling trips, transporting undocumented migrants — including minors — through the U.S. using concealed vehicles, modified SUVs, and other covert means. According to grand jury findings, Garcia’s smuggling ring allegedly involved MS-13 gang members, trafficked narcotics and firearms, and exploited migrant women during transit.
Ties to deadly smuggling incident and broader criminal activity
Bondi further allege that Garcia’s smuggling network is linked to a 2021 incident in which more than 50 migrants died in Mexico after a tractor-trailer crash. Coconspirators in the case have claimed that Garcia solicited explicit images of a minor and participated in violent acts, including playing a role in the murder of a rival gang member’s relative. However, these specific allegations are not currently included in the formal charges.
Garcia was first flagged in a 2021 traffic stop in Tennessee, but Homeland Security at the time declined to take him into custody.
Since then, Bondi says the investigation deepened, leading to new evidence and Garcia’s eventual indictment on May 21.
Upon conviction, U.S. officials confirmed Garcia would serve his sentence in an American prison before being deported to El Salvador.
