Kilmar Abrego Garcia Was Forced To Kneel For 9 Hours And Forbid From Going To The Bathroom While In El Salvador Prison

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador earlier this year, described the ordeal he went through while at the country's infamous CECOT prison, including being ordered to kneel for nine hours straight and prevented from going to the bathroom.

Abrego Garcia's experience was included in a legal filing from his attorneys, submitted before a Maryland federal court as they seek to amend his lawsuit against the Trump administration over his wrongful deportation.

The man was flown back to the U.S. in early June after his case dominated headlines for weeks as the Trump administration failed to comply with a judge's ruling ordering his return. Upon return he was charged with human smuggling in Tennessee, and his lawyers have expressed concern he could be deported again, especially as officials from the Trump administration have anticipated their intention to do so.

The filing detailed that, during his three-week-long detention at the CECOT prison, Abrego Garcia endured "severe beatings, severe sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture." He added that he lost over 30 pounds during that period.

Upon arrival, he said, detainees were greeted by an official who said "welcome to CECOT. Whoever enters here doesn't leave." He was then "forced to strip, issued prison clothing, and subjected to physical abuse including being kicked in the legs with boots and struck on his head and arms to make him change clothes faster."

"His head was shaved with a zero razor, and he was frog-marched to cell 15, being struck with wooden batons along the way," adds a passage of the filing. "In Cell 15, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia and 20 other Salvadorans were forced to kneel from approximately 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM, with guards striking anyone who fell from exhaustion. During this time, Plaintiff Abrego Garcia was denied bathroom access and soiled himself."

Department of Homeland Secretary reacted in a statement, saying "This illegal alien is an MS-13 gang member, alleged human trafficker, and a domestic abuser." "The media's sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart, yet they continue to peddle his sob story. We hear far too much about gang members and criminals' false sob stories and not enough about their victims." Abrego Garcia has long denied being part of MS-13 and his lawyers are asking he be returned to Maryland.