Abrego Garcia was brought back by the United States from El Salvador on June 6, charged with criminal offenses relating to human smuggling and incarcerated in prison in Tennessee, where he is today.  (Here is a narrative of the case from March 12 through June 7).  Garcia is awaiting trial for operating a smuggling ring for undocumented migrants from Central America into the U.S. and moving them across state lines primarily into Maryland. There is as yet no released evidence supporting this charge other than allegations by other migrants, mostly in American prisons.

A July 2 plaintiff’s complaint in Abrego Garcia v. Noem, ( 8:25-cv-00951) describes conditions for prisoners in El Salvador’s CECOT prison and the specific ordeal of Abrego Garcia, who was held there from March 15 until April 10, when he was moved to another prison, and before his June 6 return to the U..S.

Here is a summary of key passages in this complaint:

CECOT— Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Terrorism Confinement Center)  — has 256 cells intended for about 80 inmates, but often holds up to twice that number. Prisoners are confined for 23.5 hours a day, with no access to the outdoors, no windows, and constant artificial lighting. Bunks lack mattresses, and inmates are forced to sleep on metal frames. The air is hot and humid, with no ventilation. Sanitation is primitive, limited to two washing basins and two open toilets per cell. Meals are handed through bars and visits are prohibited.

A 2023 human rights report by Cristosal documented deaths caused by torture, beatings, and untreated medical conditions. It noted widespread electric shocks, forced feeding from the floor, untreated fungal infections, and asphyxiation. (Here is a State Department executive summary of its review of conditions, published in 2023).

Abrego Garcia was among 23 Salvadoran nationals transported directly to CECOT. Upon arrival, he was pushed from the plane, chained, beaten, and frog-marched under blinding lights while being filmed. He was stripped, kicked, shaved, and struck with wooden batons before being locked in Cell 15. In that cell, he and roughly 20 others were forced to kneel overnight without food, water, or bathroom access. Those who collapsed were beaten. Garcia soiled himself and was left unwashed. Within two weeks, he lost over 30 pounds.

Despite early claims that Garcia was gang-affiliated, Salvadoran officials soon acknowledged his tattoos were benign and removed him from cells housing known gang members. Nonetheless, prison guards psychologically tortured him, threatening to send him into violent cells where he would be “torn apart.”

On April 10, he was transferred to the Centro Industrial prison in Santa Ana. There, he was hidden from visitors and barred from contact with his family or legal counsel until U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (Dem, Maryland), visited him on April 17.