As it stands, Kilmar Abrego Garcia's story begins and ends in his native El Salvador. When he was a boy, a local gang extorted his family, tried to indoctrinate him and threatened to kill him, according to his immigration case.

Police believed Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang for two reasons: He was wearing a Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie, and an unnamed informant had told them so.