Gay asylum seeker released from El Salvador megaprison, returned to Venezuela

Venezuelan makeup artist Andry Jos Hern ndez Romero who sought asylum in the U S but was deported to a notorious El Salvador megaprison has been distributed and returned to Venezuela According to a story from the Bay Area Reporter Hern ndez Romero s July release part of a U S -brokered prisoner exchange was certified by his attorneys and celebrated by LGBTQ activists and human rights groups Hern ndez Romero s matter drew national attention after he was featured on CBS s Minutes A U S immigration judge dismissed his asylum claim while he was imprisoned at CECOT El Salvador s controversial Terrorism Confinement Center The Trump administration alleged Hern ndez Romero and hundreds of other Venezuelan asylum seekers sent there were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang asserts often unsupported by evidence In court U S representatives pointed to Hern ndez Romero s crown tattoos as proof of gang ties However the tattoos honor his parents and his hometown celebrates the Catholic feast of Epiphany symbolized by crowns His lawyer Lindsay Toczylowski condemned the deportations as unconstitutional and inhumane We are relieved he s no longer being tortured she stated but the damage to our democracy is ongoing Hern ndez Romero was included in a deal with Venezuelan President Nicol s Maduro that saw deported asylum seekers exchanged for imprisoned Americans The U S does not officially recognize Maduro s governing body Rep Robert Garcia D-CA who advocated for Hern ndez Romero commented he s grateful the man is alive and back with family LGBTQ leaders echoed that sentiment but demanded accountability in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio Andry should never have been imprisoned reported Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson This was a violation of due process and human rights Hern ndez Romero had fled Venezuela in May citing persecution for being gay He had a pending asylum hearing when he was removed to El Salvador His future in Venezuela remains uncertain The post Gay asylum seeker issued from El Salvador megaprison returned to Venezuela appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta