Jerce Reyes Barrios, a 35-year-old Venezuelan man, has now claimed that he was mistakenly sent to El Salvador prison in the Donald Trump administration’s latest deportation of around 200 members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Barrios said he was a former professional soccer player who had sought asylum in the US after he was persecuted in his country by the Nicolas Maduro administration. He said he was arrested in the US because of the tattoo which the agents thought was a symbol of the Tren de Aragua gang, but it was the logo of Real Madrid.
Barrios’ attorney Linette Tobin wrote in a sworn declaration that Real Madrid is his favourite soccer team and his tattoo features a crown on top of a soccer ball. Tobin said Barrios was never arrested or charged with a crime and steadily worked as a soccer player and coach. He was targeted by the Maduro government for taking part in protests.
Barrios fled to the US in September seeking asylum through the CBP One app which now has been overhauled to the CBP Home app. He was initially placed at a detention facility in California and was supposed to plead his case in the immigration court but before that, he was packed in a plane and sent to El Salvador with Tren de Aragua members.
Tobin said Barrios was deported without any notification to his family.
Feds say they are confident Barrios is a gang member and tattoo was not the reason for his arrest
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLauglin said the feds are certain that he was a gang member and the tattoo was not the reason for thinking so. Barrios was in the US illegally and his tattoos are consistent with those indicating Tren de Aragua membership. His social media posts indicate he’s a member of the prison gang, the DHS spokesperson said.
