Date of Offense
Official Statement
Ivan Mendez, a former officer with the Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland, played a pivotal role in the case concerning Kilmar Abrego Garcia. In March 2019, Mendez authored a "Gang Field Interview Sheet" that alleged Abrego Garcia was affiliated with the MS-13 gang. This assertion was primarily based on Abrego Garcia's attire—specifically, a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie featuring imagery associated with gang culture—and information from a confidential informant who claimed Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13's "Western Clique," a faction based in New York, a location where Abrego Garcia had never resided.
The credibility of Mendez's report has been significantly undermined. Shortly after the 2019 incident, Mendez was suspended for unrelated misconduct involving the unauthorized sharing of confidential information with a sex worker. He was subsequently indicted and, in December 2022, pleaded guilty to misconduct in office, leading to his termination from the police department . Furthermore, Mendez was included on a "do not call" list by the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, indicating that his testimony was deemed unreliable for legal proceedings.
Despite these issues, Mendez's report served as the sole basis for the Trump administration's claim that Abrego Garcia was a gang member. This claim was used to justify Abrego Garcia's deportation to El Salvador in March 2025, despite a 2019 immigration judge's order granting him protection from removal due to credible fears of persecution by gangs in his home country. The deportation was later acknowledged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an "administrative error".
The reliance on Mendez's discredited report has been a focal point in legal challenges against the deportation. Advocates and legal experts argue that the use of such questionable evidence to override judicial protections sets a concerning precedent for due process and the rule of law in immigration enforcement.
