The deportation of a gay Venezuelan makeup artist seeking asylum has prompted outcry from the LGBTQ+ community in West Hollywood as city leaders and activists gathered to protest Wednesday night.
Supporters rallying for Andry Hernandez Romero, 31, said he had no criminal history and was escaping persecution for various reasons, including his sexuality.
He arrived at the U.S. border at a legal port of entry with an appointment and asked for asylum. However, he was detained and held for several months before being deported and transferred to a maximum security prison in El Salvador.
The notorious prison, named the Terrorism Confinement Center, houses some of the world’s most dangerous criminals, including mass murderers and gang members. The facility is also known for its uncompromising policies and harsh conditions, according to a CNN report.
Loved ones said Romero was falsely accused of having gang ties. He and other Venezuelans were deported from the U.S. after President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, claiming the men were members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, according to CBS News.
Loved ones said Romero was deported without a fair hearing. The last time they spoke with him was from a U.S. detention facility on March 14. After he was moved overseas, he has not been heard from since.
“Andry, a gay Venezuelan man seeking asylum, came to this country believing in the promise of safety and dignity,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “Instead, he was met with detention, dehumanization and ultimately deportation.”
“This is the most shocking thing I’ve ever seen happen to a client of ours,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, Romero’s attorney.
His attorneys are demanding that U.S. officials act quickly to review Romero’s case and address the serious threats to his safety as a gay man residing in an overseas prison.
“He suffered as a gay man in an ICE detention center, an ICE prison here in the United States, which gives us great fear for his current condition,” said Toczylowski.
Philip Holsinger, a photojournalist with 60 Minutes, visited the El Salvador prison and happened to witness Romero as he and a large group of inmates arrived.
Romero could be heard shouting, “I’m innocent!” and was crying as his head was shaved. All prisoners are forced to kneel down while prison guards shave their hair before being transported to their cells.
“He was being slapped every time he would speak up,” Holsinger told 60 Minutes. ”He started praying and calling out, literally crying for his mother.”
“The egregious denial of his rights, the grave violation of due process and the clause in the 14th Amendment that we are all guaranteed in this country — this should anger and upset us all,” said Chelsea Byers, Mayor of West Hollywood.
Community activities and local leaders are urging federal officials to intervene and bring Romero back to the U.S. for a fair hearing. There are reports that Governor Gavin Newsom is now involved after making a direct appeal to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on behalf of Romero.
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