Trump Criticized For Sharing Doctored Photo To Link Deported Man To MS-13 Gang

<p style=”text-align: justify;”>In another controversial move, the U.S. President Donald Trump has once again attempted to tie Kilmar Garcia, a Maryland resident recently deported to El Salvador, to the violent gang MS-13&mdash;this time by posting a doctored image on social media.<br />Trump shared a black-and-white photo of a man&rsquo;s knuckles, claiming the image depicted Garcia&rsquo;s hand. The photo showed the letters &ldquo;MS-13&rdquo; tattooed across the fingers along with four symbols: a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull.</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>In the post on X (formerly Twitter) Trump wrote, “This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such ‘a fine and innocent person’. They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two highly respected courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc.&rdquo; He further added that he was elected “to take bad people out of the US” and must be allowed to do his job.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such &ldquo;a fine and innocent person.&rdquo; They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he&rsquo;s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found&hellip; <a href=”https://t.co/31sNr2k1SK”>pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK</a></p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href=”https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1913358867708493982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p style=”text-align: justify;”>However, the post was quickly met with skepticism and criticism. Digital forensics experts and sharp-eyed users on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out signs that the image had been digitally altered. Some accused Trump of using Photoshop to bolster a misleading narrative.</p>
<h2 style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Social Media Reaction On Trump’s Post</strong></h2>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Linda Higgins, a former Minnesota state senator, joined the critics, saying, “Hey old man, have someone teach you about photoshop. This is an excellent example of altering a photo, in this case, to make your illegal actions look good. But instead you look foolish.”</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Another user wrote, “I don’t get it. Regardless if he was MS-13 or not, he’s still an illegal immigrant, right? So he would get deported anyway, so what’s the problem?”</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Many of the users said that the picture in doctored, where as other said even if the picture is doctored then still Garcia is an illegal immigrant in the state.&nbsp;</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Supporters of Garcia also shared screenshots from his wife&rsquo;s TikTok account, which show Garcia’s hands without any tattoos. Although a separate post from April 6 appeared to obscure his knuckles using heart emojis, the overall evidence raises serious questions about the authenticity of Trump&rsquo;s claims. One of the users wrote, &ldquo;Bring him back and tell a judge. That’s how it works in the US. “No person shall … be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The President holding up a picture of a hand is NOT due process.&rdquo;</p>
<h2 style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Who is Kilmar Garcia?</strong></h2>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>Garcia had lived in the U.S. for approximately 14 years before he was deported to El Salvador last month. His removal came despite a court order from a U.S. immigration judge explicitly blocking the deportation.</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>The Trump administration claimed authority under the Alien Enemies Act, citing a 2019 police report that accused Garcia of being affiliated with MS-13. Though the Department of Homeland Security later referred to this move as &ldquo;an administrative error,&rdquo; they continued to assert his gang affiliation and accused him of domestic violence. Notably, none of the government&rsquo;s legal filings ever mentioned the alleged tattoos used in Trump&rsquo;s social media post, adding further doubt to the veracity of the image.</p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”>MS-13, the gang in question, is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government. However, critics argue that Garcia has never been conclusively linked to the group, and his removal may have violated legal protections.</p>
<h2>What Is MS-13 and How Did It Become So Dangerous?</h2>
<p>MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, is a dangerous gang that started in California in the early 1980s, mostly made up of Salvadoran immigrants. It began as a way for these immigrants to protect themselves from other gangs in Los Angeles, but quickly grew into something much more violent and widespread.</p>
<p>The gang is known for its extreme violence, including things like extortion, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and brutal attacks. Members often show their allegiance with tattoos on their faces, hands, and other parts of their bodies.</p>
<p>MS-13&rsquo;s actions have caused a lot of fear, especially in communities that are battling gang violence. Because of its violent reputation, the U.S. government has labeled MS-13 a terrorist organization. The gang&rsquo;s influence isn&rsquo;t just limited to the U.S.; it&rsquo;s also a serious problem in Central America, particularly in countries like El Salvador.</p>