Venezuelan Man Deported to El Salvador Amid Asylum Case

Case of Andry Jose Hernandez Romero

• 👨 Andry Jose Hernandez Romero, a 31-year-old Venezuelan makeup artist, is the subject of efforts to bring him back to the U.S. after being deported.
• 🇻🇪 Romero reportedly fled Venezuela due to difficult and potentially life-threatening circumstances, seeking asylum legally in the U.S. last August.

Deportation and Allegations

• ✈️ He was detained at the border for several months before being deported in March along with approximately 250 other immigrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
• 🚨 Border Patrol agents claimed certain crown tattoos indicated a connection to a criminal organization in Venezuela.
• ✝️ Romero's attorneys state his crown tattoos are religious and biblical symbols, not indicative of criminal ties.

Legal and Political Involvement

• ⚖️ Romero's asylum case is still open in the United States, and his attorneys continue to attend hearings.
• 🏛️ Governor Gavin Newsom has sent a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, asking the federal government to help bring Romero back to the U.S. so a judge can hear his case.
• ❓ Attorneys have been unable to contact Romero since his deportation and fear for his safety, noting the prison in El Salvador is known for notorious human rights abuses.