Eric Swallwell Goes OFF on Kristi Noem Over Photoshopped Photo of Abrego Garcia Tattoos: ‘I Have a Bullsh*t Detector!’

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the edited photo of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s tattoos during a House hearing Wednesday.

Abrego Garcia has been the subject of national headlines since he was deported from his home in Maryland. Although a judge ruled several years ago that he could not be deported back to his home country of El Salvador, President Donald Trump’s administration erroneously defied that order and sent him to the notorious Salvadoran prison CECOT. The administration maintains that Abrego Garcia is a member of the gang MS-13, but his legal team has denied those allegations.

Last month, Trump revealed to the press a photo of Abrego Garcia’s hand tattoos. Placed above the four tattoos were the letters M and S, as well as the numbers 1 and 3. The photoshopped addition of those characters was clearly meant to imply the meaning of the actual tattoos. Trump, however, later insisted the letters and numbers were also tattoos.

About 55 minutes into the Homeland Security Committee hearing, Swalwell repeatedly asked Noem to confirm that the photo was edited:

SWALWELL: Madam Secretary, you agree that the letters “M-S” and the number 13, in Times Roman Numeral font, that they are doctored on this photo, right?

NOEM: Congressman, Abrego Garcia is–

SWALWELL: No, no, I’m just asking about this photo.

NOEM: –a known member of MS-13. It wasn’t based off of tattoos. It was based off an entire case.

SWALWELL: OK, and I’ll accept that for the purpose of this question. You agree, though, that this is doctored? Is that right?

NOEM: The same protocols that are applied to every–

SWALWELL: Madam Secretary, I want you to have credibility and I want you to be taken seriously. Is this doctored or is it not doctored?

NOEM: Sir, I am taken quite seriously because–

SWALWELL: Is it doctored or not doctored?

NOEM: –I approach my job with the importance that the president has given me to do my job.

SWALWELL: I understand. Is it doctored or not doctored?

NOEM: One thing that’s important to remember is that every single time a case built–

SWALWELL: Madam Secretary, I have a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 3-year-old. I have a bullshit detector. I’m just asking you: is this doctored or not doctored?

NOEM: Sir, the protocols in the case built against–

SWALWELL: Can you answer the question?

NOEM: –Abrego Garcia were exactly the same. I don’t have any knowledge as to that photo you’re pointing to.

Watch the clip above.