One of the biggest stories in mainstream media over the past few weeks has been the Trump administration’s deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man from El Salvador who lived in Maryland and entered the US unlawfully around March 2012.
Media across the spectrum have often chosen different descriptors to describe Abrego Garcia in news headlines, with media from the left usually describing him as a “Maryland man” or “wrongly deported” and some outlets from the right opting to describe him as an “illegal” migrant or suspected gang member.
Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?
A court document filed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 31 included an admission that he was deported to El Salvador by mistake due to an “administrative error.” In 2019, a judge granted Abrego Garcia a “withholding of removal,” protecting him from being deported to El Salvador due to what the court deemed a credible threat of violence against him should he return. The order allows for deportation to a different country if that country agrees to receive him.
The US Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to return Abrego Garcia to the United States, though both President Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele have shown no intention to do so.
RELATED: Tracking Controversial Deportations Under the Trump Admin
Though Abrego Garcia did live in Maryland before his deportation, he is also a Salvadoran national. A newly publicized police report from 2019 alleged he was a member of the gang MS-13, but some outlets on the left have disputed the credibility of this report.
All listed articles were published from April 15 to 18. Some outlets have changed how they refer to Abrego Garcia as the story has developed.
From the Right
Biden administration flagged deported El Salvadoran as illegal alien suspected of ‘human smuggling' - Just The News (Lean Right)
'Maryland man' Kilmar Abrego Garcia exposed in police records as 'violent' repeat wife beater - Fox News (Right)
Alleged MS-13 gangbanger Kilmar Abrego Garcia told ICE he wasn’t afraid to go back to Central America — before deportation to megaprison - New York Post (Lean Right)
‘Leaving Me Bleeding’: Illegal Migrant Dems Want Back In US Was Accused Of Domestic Abuse By Wife - Daily Caller (Right)
Suspected MS-13 member at center of deportation battle was accused of beating wife - Washington Times (Lean Right)
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Wife Accused Deported Migrant of Abuse, Took Out Restraining Order - National Review (Lean Right)
Outlets from the right generally emphasized Abrego Garcia’s illegal entry to the United States or criminal allegations in headlines. They also often highlighted that he was a migrant. In the texts of articles linked above, none of the sources referred to Abrego Garcia as “wrongly” or “mistakenly” deported, and simply wrote that he was deported. Notably, Fox News criticized Democrats and liberal media for their use of the terms “Maryland Man” and “wrongly deported.”
From the Center
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife sought restraining order in 2021, DHS says - NewsNation (Center)
Trump Admin Says Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Wife and Child Are Now 'Safer' - Newsweek (Center)
Abrego Garcia’s wife issues statement on domestic violence protective order - The Hill (Center)
Trump Administration Says It Will Simply Re-Deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia If He Is Brought Back To U.S. - Forbes (Center)
US Senator Van Hollen meets wrongly deported man in El Salvador - Reuters (Center)
Senator Meets With Man Mistakenly Deported by Trump Administration - Wall Street Journal (Center)
Prominent Center-rated outlets mostly referred to Abrego Garcia by name without a descriptor. In text bodies, they highlighted that he was “mistakenly” deported, but stayed away from the term “wrongly.” Reuters was the exception. In headlines from the past few days, Reuters referred to Abrego Garcia as “wrongly deported.”
From the Left
New documents detail government's case that mistakenly deported man was a gang member - NBC News (Lean Left)
A Maryland senator tried to visit his wrongfully deported constituent in El Salvador - NPR (Lean Left)
Lawyer for wrongly deported Maryland man says it might take contempt order to get him back - ABC News (Lean Left)
Trump officials step up defiance over man wrongly deported to El Salvador - The Guardian (Left)
What to know about the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador - CBS News (Lean Left)
‘Nothing Has Been Done’: Judge Rebukes U.S. Effort to Return Wrongly Deported Man - New York Times (Lean Left)
Outlets from the left often referred to Abrego Garcia as “wrongly” or “mistakenly” deported and emphasized him as a “Maryland man.” Outlets from the left generally did not note that he was a migrant or entered the US unlawfully in headlines.
- Described him as "Maryland man"
- Often used "wrongly" or "wrongfully"
- Avoided describing him as a "migrant"
- Didn't include descriptors in headlines
- Wrote he was "mistakenly" deported in article bodies
- Elevated gang and domestic abuse allegations
- Buried the "administrative error" detail
- Described him as a "migrant"
Conclusions on Analyzed Coverage
While the Trump administration has admitted via a court document that Abrego Garcia was deported by mistake, its hardline stance on not bringing him back demonstrates that it does not believe it was done “wrongly.”
Outlets from the right have highlighted Abrego Garcia’s unlawful US entry and accusations of domestic abuse and gang affiliations. These sources often sensationalized headlines and omitted or buried that the DHS has admitted he was deported because of an administrative error.
Most prominent Center outlets, minus Reuters, didn’t include descriptors and referred to Abrego Garcia only by name in headlines. They’ve largely avoided the use of the words “wrongly” or “wrongfully” in text bodies as well, opting only for “mistake” or “mistakenly.”
Many media outlets on the left wrote that Abrego Garcia was “wrongly” deported, though some used “mistakenly” as well. They’ve also sought to portray him sympathetically as a “Maryland man” or, in some cases, a “Maryland father.”
Andy Gorel is a News and Social Media Editor at AllSides. He has a Center bias.
This article was reviewed and edited by Henry A. Brechter, Editor-in-Chief (Center), Evan Wagner, News Editor and Product Manager (Lean Left), Emily Allen, News Editor and Bias Analyst (Left), and Olivia Geno, News and Bias Assistant (Lean Right).