Kathrine Frich
The jab seemed aimed at undercutting sympathy for a man who was supposed to be protected from deportation.
The jab seemed aimed at undercutting sympathy for a man who was supposed to be protected from deportation.
President Trump’s White House posted a meme of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man it illegally deported, styled after Barack Obama’s famous “Hope” campaign poster, but labeled with the gang name “MS-13.”
The post comes despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. Instead of complying, the administration is waging a public smear campaign, drawing comparisons to authoritarian-style tactics.
A Meme That Crossed a Line
Shared across official White House X and Instagram accounts, the meme featured Abrego Garcia’s face in Shepard Fairey’s iconic color palette with the caption, “Ah yes, a true classic. We call this one… ‘Not a Maryland Dad.’”
The jab seemed aimed at undercutting sympathy for a man who, according to legal documents, was supposed to be protected from deportation.
The post received instant backlash. “What the fuck is this account,” one user commented.
The White House replied flatly: “The White House.”
Illegally Deported Despite Court Orders
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland, was deported in March to a high-security prison in El Salvador.
The removal violated a federal “protection from removal” order. The Supreme Court has since confirmed that the deportation was illegal and ordered his return.
Instead of following the court’s mandate, the Trump administration has doubled down, escalating the case into what some legal scholars now call a constitutional crisis.
“He’s Not Under Our Control”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the administration’s actions on CBS, stating:
“[Abrego Garcia] is not under our control… he is home in his country.”
Noem claimed the administration respects the court but simultaneously asserted that if Abrego Garcia were brought back, “we would immediately deport him again.”
This stance raises serious questions about the executive branch’s willingness to comply with judicial authority.
A Smear Campaign in Full Swing
DHS and the White House have launched an aggressive narrative painting Abrego Garcia as a gang member and human trafficker.
The only publicly cited evidence? A 2022 traffic stop where he was pulled over with several passengers and no luggage.
No one was arrested, no charges were filed, and bodycam footage reportedly shows one passenger covered in paint, consistent with Garcia’s account that they were returning from construction work.
Despite this, DHS released a statement saying, “The facts speak for themselves, and they reek of human trafficking.”
Wife Forced Into Hiding
In what critics call an act of intimidation, DHS recently released court documents that included the address of Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, an American citizen. forcing her and their three children to move to a safe house.
“I don’t feel safe when the government posts my address,” she told The Washington Post. “This is definitely a bit terrifying. I’m scared for my kids.”
Accusations of Domestic Abuse Surface
In a Saturday Fox News interview, Noem claimed Vasquez Sura may not even want her husband to return, citing past allegations of domestic violence.
Critics point out that these claims only surfaced after the administration faced backlash and court orders.
Legal advocates argue that the administration is attempting to discredit both Abrego Garcia and his family to justify non-compliance with the Supreme Court.