Fact check: Was ms13 photoshopped in his hand or not?

1. Summary of the results

The evidence strongly indicates that the MS-13 tattoo was photoshopped. Multiple sources confirm that the letters "M, S, 1, 3" were digitally added to the original image ^{[1] [2]}. This is supported by the fact that these markings do not appear in other photographs of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand, including official government photos ^{[3] [3]}. While the original image itself was genuine, it was manipulated to insert the text "MS-13" above the actual tattoos ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The hand in question does have real tattoos, but they appear to be different from what was claimed:

• Existing tattoos include images of a marijuana leaf, smiley face, cross, and skull ^[5]
• Multiple gang experts have explicitly stated that the alleged tattoos are not typical MS-13 gang markers ^[3]
• An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) source stated they had never heard of the alleged MS-13 tattoo resemblances ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The circulation of this manipulated image appears to be politically motivated:

• Trump repeatedly insisted the letters were genuine tattoos despite evidence to the contrary ^[4]
• The manipulation of the image serves to reinforce a specific narrative about gang-related immigration issues
• The controversy was significant enough to warrant investigation by multiple institutions, all of which found no evidence of MS-13 gang affiliation ^[6]
• The original interviewer, Terry Moran, explicitly challenged the authenticity of the image ^{[1] [7]}

This case demonstrates how digital manipulation can be used to create misleading narratives about immigration and gang activity, potentially influencing public opinion and policy discussions.