Body camera footage obtained by The Tennessee Star on Thursday as the result of an Open Records Request filed with the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) reveals Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) officers discuss their suspicion that Kilmar Abrego Garcia was “hauling these people for money” during the November 30, 2022 traffic stop of the vehicle he was driving in Cookeville, Tennessee.
It also shows the moment THP released Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran citizen deported by the Trump administration in March, at the instruction of the “Biden-era FBI.”
Though the video released by TDOSHS is largely redacted, with significant portions of audio missing, and other identifying information, including the vehicle’s license plate, digitally blurred by the agency, it contains a portion of a conversation between THP officers about their suspicion that Abrego Garcia was engaged in human trafficking, a suspicion which was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The Star has previously reported, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or THP have confirmed, that Abrego Garcia was suspected of human trafficking, and officers determined he was transporting eight passengers, while driving without a license, and claimed to be traveling from Texas to Maryland that deviated through Tennessee.
“You know what you got right? He’s hauling these people for money. You’ve got an ICE hauler, is what he’s doing. Sometimes they come in with dope,” said one THP officer before the audio was redacted by TDOSHS. He soon continued, “There’s eight people in there… He’s getting paid to haul these people, probably to Maryland, I would say, if I had to guess.”
Between redactions, the video shows the THP officer added, “They don’t have any luggage in there right? And if you get them out they’re going to have a tube of toothpaste and they’re going to have toothbrushes in their pocket, I guarantee it.”
During another period when the officers were consulting, one claimed, “If he gets arrested, you’re not going to have any choice but to just dump them out on the side of the interstate.”
BREAKING: Body cam footage obtained by Tennessee Star shows Tennessee Trooper saying Kilmar Abrego Garcia “hauling these people for money” pic.twitter.com/4FHWOIjSz5
— Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) May 2, 2025
It is unclear why this officer did not raise the possibility of contacting the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), which has previously worked
Another portion of the video depicts the moment Abrego Garcia was released, which THP previously told The Star came at the instruction of the “Biden-era FBI.”
Having been removed from the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado during the stop and placed into the back of a THP police cruiser, which was partitioned and also contained a police dog, Abrego Garcia was left in the vehicle as officers appeared to contemplate their next steps.
Though the audio is missing, one of the officers is visible speaking on a cell phone during this period, making it likely the point when THP told The Star that its officers were instructed by the “Biden-era FBI” to release Abrego Garcia and his eight passengers.
Following the discussion between officers, the officer whose body camera footage was provided to The Star walked to the back of the patrol vehicle containing Abrego Garcia.
Upon the officer opening the door, Abrego Garcia is seen smiling as the officer appeared to write on a notepad and return his belongings. The notepad likely contains the warning citation which DHS confirmed THP left with Abrego Garcia.
The time Abrego Garcia is depicted in the video, he is seen walking away from officers, hands full of paperwork and returned belongings.
TDOSHS released the video to The Star, alongside a redacted Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) report detailing the stop, just days after the agency confirmed Abrego Garcia is now subject to a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Thought thp was smarter than this. Obviously Tennessee is not safe.
Driver speeding without a license, illegally in the country, driver with a van load of undocumented people, why were they not detained and the FBI or ICE not called to pick them up? Those agencies are creatures of the Constitution by the States and People who are there to serve us UNDER our delegated powers.
And congressional democrats are fawning all on theis Maryland father. The old democrats might as well form a new party given the direction their current organization is headed, that would be off the marxist cliff.