Hillary Clinton is jumping into the immigration fight—this time to defend a man the Trump administration deported as an alleged MS-13 gang member, drug carrier, and accused domestic abuser.

In a post on X Wednesday, the former secretary of state came out swinging against President Trump’s decision to deport 29-year-old Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who entered the U.S. illegally and was recently removed by ICE. Clinton warned that his removal represented something much bigger.

“Before the election, I warned that there is no safe haven under authoritarianism,” she wrote. “If they can ship Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a foreign prison—accused of no crime, with no trial—they can do it to anyone. Americans of conscience must stand against this now.”

Clinton’s defense of Abrego Garcia sparked immediate backlash, especially in light of his criminal history and gang ties. According to DHS documents, Garcia was confirmed to be a member of the violent MS-13 gang, arrested with large sums of cash and drugs, and previously denied asylum by a federal judge. He had been granted limited protection in 2019 based on his claim that he feared rival gang persecution, but that decision did not overrule his gang status.

“When arrested, he was wearing what is effectively MS-13’s uniform,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Two judges found that he was a member of MS-13. That finding has not been disturbed.”

On top of the gang links, Garcia was also accused of domestic violence by his wife, American citizen Jennifer Vasquez Sura. DHS released court documents showing she once sought a protective order after alleging he punched and scratched her and ripped her clothes off.

In a later statement to Newsweek, Vasquez Sura attempted to walk back the allegations, saying she sought the order out of caution during an argument and that the couple later worked through their issues in counseling. “Things did not escalate,” she said. “Our marriage only grew stronger in the years that followed… I will continue to stand by him and demand justice for him.”

That “justice,” in her view, involves reversing his deportation—despite his reported gang ties and immigration violations.

Abrego Garcia, who was granted protection from deportation in 2019, was swept up in a broader ICE raid near Baltimore in March 2025. He was placed on a flight with other deportees and ultimately landed in El Salvador’s CECOT prison, a facility reserved for the most dangerous gang-affiliated criminals. DHS said the deportation, while disputed by Garcia’s legal team, was lawful and necessary.

While Clinton’s post stunned conservatives, she’s not alone among Democrats rushing to Garcia’s defense. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) flew to El Salvador this week to meet with officials and advocate for Garcia’s release, prompting sharp criticism from DHS.

“Senator Van Hollen is advocating for an MS-13 gang member, human trafficker, and illegal alien,” DHS said in a statement posted to X. “It’s disgraceful that some members of Congress are more interested in protecting violent criminals than protecting American communities.”

Trump officials, meanwhile, have doubled down. ICE leadership noted that Garcia’s deportation was part of a broader push to dismantle MS-13 and other transnational criminal organizations operating within U.S. borders.

“This is exactly the kind of thug President Trump promised to remove—and he did,” said a senior ICE official. “It’s time Democrats stop siding with criminals and start standing with the American people.”

The Biden-era resistance to Trump’s immigration crackdown may have shifted from general opposition to outright defense of violent offenders. And if Hillary Clinton’s latest comments are any indication, the 2025 battle over deportations is only just beginning.