An image released by the White House of President Donald Trump holding a picture of Abrego Garcia's hand, with the phrase "MS-13" edited into the knuckles above his tattoos, on April 18, 2025.

Kilmar Abrego García’s tattoos alone do not prove MS-13 membership, experts say. Several were skeptical of the claim that knuckle tattoos highlighted by President Trump suggest gang affiliation.

The Trump administration this week continued digging in on its claim that symbols tattooed on the fingers of Kilmar Abrego Garcia – a cross, a skull, a smiley face and a marijuana leaf – are ...

President Donald Trump defended the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and his suspected MS-13 ties to a photo he shared showing "MS13" tattooed across a man's knuckles.

Trump doubled down on his tattoo claim in an ABC interview. Terry Moran and experts call it bogus. Experts say the tattoos aren’t linked to MS-13 — and they don’t appear in other verified ...

President Trump has repeatedly cited tattoos on the mistakenly deported man’s knuckles as proof that he is an MS-13 gang member.

Moran only offered that the tattoos’ significance was “as clear as it can be” at this point and offered to “take a look” at them again following their sit-down.

As the legal battle continues over the fate of Kilmar Abrego García, President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited tattoos on the mistakenly deported man’s knuckles as proof that he is an MS-13 ...

The Trump administration this week continued digging in on its claim that symbols tattooed on the fingers of Kilmar Abrego Garcia – a cross, a skull, a smiley face and a marijuana leaf – are ...

“Those tattoos do not prove that he’s a member of MS-13,” said Susan Phillips, a Pitzer College professor who has studied gangs and written a book on gang graffiti.