Why Kilmar Garcia’s Wife Says She Was ‘Afraid’ of Him, Feared for Her Child

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, alleged that she was “afraid to be close to him” and that he was driving “like crazy” with their child in the back seat, in a newly surfaced 2021 petition for protection order.

Newsweek reached out to the Maryland Courts via email Wednesday night for a copy of the document.

Why It Matters

Abrego Garcia’s deportation by the Trump administration has triggered a rift among Republicans and Democrats this week as the White House was ordered by the Supreme Court to facilitate his return after an “administrative error.”

Abrego Garcia came to the country illegally and a judge ultimately ruled he could not be deported back to his native country due to a potential threat of a gang. The Trump administration has accused Abrego Garcia of being in MS-13, an El Salvadoran gang.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ultimately deported Abrego Garcia from Maryland to El Salvador along with hundreds of others to a mega-prison. Abrego Garcia has no criminal record in the United States.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has prioritized immigration following his decisive election victory and after campaigning on mass deportations while on the trail.

What To Know

Amid the legal clash over Abrego Garcia’s deportation, the Trump administration has ripped media outlets for referring to him as a “Maryland dad” and not saying he is gang-affiliated, like they allege.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin posted a document—purportedly from The District Court of Maryland For Prince George’s County Upper Marlboro—in which Vasquez Sura accused Abrego Garcia of domestic violence.

“I was scared of the way he was driving; and b/c our 1 year old was in the back sit [sic],” the document reads. Vasquez Sura also wrote that “he pulled out like crazy,” prompting her to start “recording.”

Another reference to a child reads in part, “I told him I wasn’t sleepy, he got angry, reached over shut and threw my laptop at the floor, and the baby started to cry because he was putting pressure on him, my idmiete [sic] reaction was to push him off of us, and he then punched, scratched me on my left eye, leaving me bleeding.”

The document also shows Vasquez Sura writing: “At this point I am afraid to be close to him.”

Lydia Walther-Rodriguez of CASA, left, and Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, head to court on April 15 in Greenbelt, Maryland. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

In an exclusive to Newsweek, Vasquez Sura defended her husband, saying she ultimately decided not to “follow through with the civil court process.”

“After surviving domestic violence in a previous relationship, I acted out of caution after a disagreement with Kilmar by seeking a civil protective order in case things escalated,” she said. “Things did not escalate, and I decided not to follow through with the civil court process. We were able to work through this situation privately as a family, including by going to counseling.

“Our marriage only grew stronger in the years that followed. No one is perfect, and no marriage is perfect. That is not a justification for ICE’s action of abducting him and deporting him to a country where he was supposed to be protected from deportation. Kilmar has always been a loving partner and father, and I will continue to stand by him and demand justice for him.”

In a post to X on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took a swipe at Abrego Garcia, posting photos of his wife’s previous temporary protective order filed against him.

“Kilmar Abrego Garcia had a history of violence and was not the upstanding ‘Maryland Man’ the media has portrayed him as. According to court filings, Garcia’s wife sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, claiming he punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt, among other harm. This MS-13 gang member is not a sympathetic figure,” the post read.

What People Are Saying

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, posted to X on Wednesday in reaction to the DHS post: “For once, @DHSGov provides proof of something. And yes, this is bad behavior. But I’ll note a few things: – His wife now stands behind him 100% and is begging for his return – None of this is relevant to his wrongful deportation – Trump cabinet picks have been accused of worse.”

Republican Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland responding to Melugin’s post to X on Wednesday: “This is who the Maryland Democrats want returned to Maryland…”

Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas also responded to Melugin’s post to X on Wednesday: “Interesting data point…”

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, posted to X on Tuesday: “The Supreme Court ordered this administration to facilitate Kilmar’s release. Marylanders and people all across the nation are calling on the President to bring him home. Enough is enough.”