Tennessee authorities release video of Abrego Garcia at a traffic stop that officials have used to paint him as a criminal

Tennessee state law enforcement on Thursday released a video showing a 2022 traffic stop involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an incident Trump administration officials have used to justify the removal of the Maryland man who the government has admitted was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March.

US officials have argued the traffic stop in November 2022, during which Abrego Garcia was not detained, supports their claims that Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13 and involved in human trafficking. The stop resulted in no charges, and there was no mention of human trafficking in the parts of the redacted report that have been made available.

Yet the 2022 traffic stop now could play into the ongoing political debate and legal standoff over Abrego Garcia, who is still in El Salvador while a federal judge demands answers and more evidence from the Trump administration.