Pamela, Jerce Reyes Barrios. Franco Caraballo. Frizgeralth de Jesús Cornejo Pulgar. These three men were among the 238 Venezuelan citizens deported from the United States to El Salvador on March 15.
For months, they have been incarcerated in a Salvadoran mega-prison notorious for its cruelty and abuse; a place where, according to one official, "the only way out is in a coffin."
The U.S. government alleges that these men are members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Venezuelan gang. But there was no trial. No opportunity to fight for their freedom before a judge.
And the evidence? According to a government document, officials assumed they were gang members because of their tattoos. |
A former professional soccer player, Reyes Barrios has a tattoo of a crown over a soccer ball in honor of his favorite team. Caraballo's wife says his clock-shaped tattoo marks his daughter's birthday. Cornejo Pulgar's family says he was repeatedly questioned about his tattoos by officials. Tattoos that reflect Latinx cultural and racial identity are routinely misread as signs of gang membership in ways that are racially disparate. It's a practice that immigration authorities have used for years, even though government agencies have acknowledged how unreliable it is. It is particularly ineffective in identifying members of TdA, which does not require its members to get tattoos. This flawed logic is now being used to deport people into life-threatening conditions. |
While a federal judge ruled in early June that the Trump administration has a legal duty to give the men who were deported to El Salvador the due process they had been denied, it remains unclear if any action will be taken. Pamela, under Trump's mass detention and deportation agenda, ICE is escalating its tactics. People are being detained and deported without legal help, even when they have lawful claims to remain in the United States. And the Supreme Court recently ruled that people could be deported to "third countries," places other than their country of origin.
This moment demands action. Together we must work to protect one another and fight for due process, family unity, and a just immigration system.
Thank you for reading,
Vera Institute of Justice |
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