Speaker 1 (00:00):
… justice. On May 21st, a grand jury in the middle district of Tennessee returned a sealed indictment charging Abrego Garcia with alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling in violation of Title 8 USC 1324. We want to thank President Bukele for agreeing to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. Our government presented El Salvador with an arrest warrant and they agreed to return him to our country. We're grateful to President Bukele for agreeing to return him to our country to face these very serious charges. This is what American Justice looks like.
(00:44)
Upon completion of his sentence, we anticipate he will be returned to his home country of El Salvador. The grand jury found that over the past nine years, Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring. They found this was his full-time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. He made over 100 trips, the grand jury found, smuggling people throughout our country, MS-13 members, violent gang terrorist organization members throughout our country. Thousands of illegal aliens were smuggled.
(01:39)
This is especially disturbing because Abrego Garcia is also alleged with transporting minor children. The Defendant traded the innocence of minor children for profit. There are even more disturbing facts that the grand jury uncovered. It is alleged this defendant is part of the same smuggling ring responsible for the death of more than 50 migrants. In 2021 after the tractor trailer overturned in Mexico, this is part of that same ring.
(02:17)
The Defendant abused undocumented alien females according to co-conspirators who were under his control while transporting them throughout our country. This defendant trafficked firearms and narcotics throughout our country on multiple occasions, they were using vehicles, SUVs, with added seats in the back floors that had been ripped out. Guns, narcotics, children, women, MS-13 members. That is what the grand jury found.
(02:57)
A co-conspirator alleged that the defendant solicited nude photographs and videos of a minor. A co-conspirator also alleges the defendant played a role in the murder of a rival gang member's mother. These facts demonstrate Abrego Garcia is a danger to our community. We want to thank the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, our state and local partners, our acting U.S. Attorney Robert McGuire and prosecutors from the Joint Task Force, Vulcan Questions?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
[inaudible 00:03:37]
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Attorney General, the traffic stop that we've seen video of from Tennessee where Abrego Garcia was first identified by the local authorities. At the time the Homeland Security Department declined to take custody of him. What has happened in between that time and in between the time that the government has been arguing that he was not returnable from El Salvador? What has happened since in this investigation that brought you here?
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yes. The question was in 2021, there was the traffic stop and what has changed since then. What has changed is Donald Trump is now President of the United States and our borders are again secure. And thanks to the bright light that has been shined on Abrego Garcia, this investigation continued with actually amazing police work and we were able to track this case and stop this international smuggling ring from continuing.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
But these were recently found facts, right?
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Yes. Recently found facts.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
To that point, can you just explain when this investigation was opened, the investigation in Tennessee, can you say when that investigation was opened?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Well, the grand jury indicted on May 21st, this investigation has been ongoing.
Speaker 5 (04:58):
This case has been debated here in Washington. In your mind, does this resolve that issue in terms of his deportation and should this be seen in any way as complying with the judge's order to return him to the US and the Supreme Court ruling that the US government should facilitate his return?
Speaker 6 (05:16):
There's a big difference between what the state of play was before the indictment and after the indictment. And so the reason why he is back and was returned was because it was an arrest warrant, which was presented to the government in El Salvador. So there's a big difference there. As far as whether it makes the ongoing litigation in Maryland moot, I would think so. But we don't know that. He just landed today.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Jake, CBS.
Speaker 7 (05:51):
I just want to confirm what you said earlier, that you're intending to prosecute him and keep him in an American prison if he's found guilty and then remove him after his sentence is over.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Correct. Yes. He will be prosecuted in our country, sentenced in our country if convicted and then returned after completion of his sentence.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Last one. Sadie, Wall Street Journal.
Speaker 8 (06:13):
Okay. Two one's on topic. One's off topic. Maybe I misunderstood you, but you were mentioning that he had some involvement in a murder or was connected to groups that had involved with this other smuggling ring. But to be clear, the only charges he's facing right now are the human smuggling charges, that's the one offense.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (06:38):
But the other things that you have talked about are not actually in the indictment?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
No. Co-conspirators allege that and we were clear to say that he is charged with, it's not, only very serious charges of smuggling. And again, there were children involved in that. Human trafficking, not only in our country but in our world is very, very real. It's very dangerous. And as you saw recently in Virginia, the arrest we made of the MS-13 member, unrelated to this, we learned at that press conference, that's where they bring young children into our country and they start grooming them at middle school age to become MS-13, full-fledged members commit violent crimes throughout our country. It is highly organized, it is very dangerous, and they are living throughout our country. But no more because they are being arrested. They are being prosecuted and being convicted and deported when appropriate.
Speaker 9 (07:44):
Can I just.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
That's all for today.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Thank you guys.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Appreciate it.
