A Venezuelan man accused of gang ties, who was previously removed from the United States under President Trump’s orders, was later allowed to re-enter the country through a phone app program under the Biden administration, sources informed The NY Post.
Andry Hernandez Romero, 31, was one of 260 individuals deported to a notorious El Salvador prison in March after Trump utilized the Alien Enemies Act, a law dating back to the 1700s, to bypass standard deportation procedures and send them out without a court hearing.
Romero initially entered the United States by crossing the border into Texas in July 2024 but was swiftly removed, sources said. Just weeks later, he appeared again, this time making it into California.
By August, Romero used the CBP One mobile application—a program that has since been discontinued—to gain entry into the U.S. while in California.
That particular function of the CBP One app was terminated on Inauguration Day by the Trump administration. In its place, a new application called CBP Home was introduced, designed to allow illegal entrants to voluntarily exit the country.
According to his legal team, Romero fled Venezuela because he faced persecution due to his sexual orientation and political stance. In his home country, he had worked as a makeup artist for a government-run television network, as reported by CBS News.
“And the government had found that his threats against him were credible and that he had a real probability of winning an asylum claim,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, Romero’s attorney.
A photographer at the scene of Romero’s transfer to the massive prison complex in El Salvador reported that the detainee cried out, “I’m not a gang member. … I’m a stylist,” as guards struck him and shaved his head, CBS News reported.
“It’s horrifying to see someone who we’ve met and know as a sweet, funny artist in the most horrible conditions I could imagine,” Toczylowski remarked.
U.S. immigration officials identified Romero as a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua gang, citing his two crown tattoos as evidence.
However, Toczylowski rejected that narrative, asserting that the tattoos were tributes to his family.
“These are tattoos that not only have a plausible explanation because he is someone who worked in the beauty pageant industry, but also the crowns themself were on top of the names of his parents,” she explained.
“The most plausible explanation for that is that his mom and dad are his king and queen.”
Still, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, insisted the agency’s findings were not based solely on visible tattoos.
“This man’s own social media indicates he is a member of Tren de Aragua.”
Another alleged gang member, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was also believed to be part of MS-13, was deported alongside Romero to South America.
Although multiple courts, including the Supreme Court, ruled that Abrego Garcia had been erroneously deported due to a paperwork mishap and should be returned to the United States, the Trump administration has declined to comply.
Despite the judicial orders, the administration has not brought Abrego Garcia—who has been accused of trafficking, domestic violence, and gang involvement—back into the country.
{Matzav.com}