Swalwell Confronts Noem Over Photo of Deported MS-13 Member

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell confronted Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem during a heated budget hearing this week about a controversial photo of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran citizen deported by the Trump administration.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Swalwell stated he has a “bullsh— detector” and pressed Noem on whether the photo of Abrego Garcia’s hand, which shows supposed gang tattoos, had been doctored. The photo was previously shared by former President Donald Trump, who suggested the tattoos were linked to the MS-13 gang.

“I want you to have credibility and I want you to be taken seriously. Is this doctored or is it not?” Swalwell asked. He pointed to letters and numbers that he believed were edited onto the photo.

Noem attempted to shift the focus away from the photo, asserting that the decision to deport Abrego Garcia was based on a thorough investigation, not just an image. However, Swalwell interrupted, demanding straightforward answers.

“I have a seven-year-old, a six-year-old, and a three-year-old,” he said, emphasizing the importance of clarity on the issue. “Is this doctored or not?”

Noem responded that it was “unbelievable” that Swalwell was focused on a photo rather than the broader issue of national security. She claimed to have “no knowledge” about the photograph in question.

Last month, Trump shared the image in the Oval Office, claiming the tattoos were tied to a known terrorist group, MS-13. Swalwell continued to press Noem about the integrity of the photo, ultimately leading her to assert that Abrego Garcia is a “known terrorist” and a criminal.

“Abrego Garcia is a known terrorist and member of MS-13, a wife beater and a human trafficker that should never have been in this country to begin with,” Noem stated emphatically.