Gay asylum seeker deported to El Salvador prison under Trump crackdown

Andry Hernandez Romero, a Venezuelan makeup artist and member of the LGBTQ+ community, came to the United States last year seeking asylum after facing threats in his home country due to his sexuality and political beliefs. After a treacherous journey through the perilous Darien Gap and into Mexico, he legally presented himself at a US border crossing near San Diego and was taken into custody to await the outcome of his asylum application.

Romero had passed a credible fear interview—an initial screening in the asylum process—which determined that his claim had merit. “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, his attorney.

But just weeks ago, Romero vanished from the legal process. "Our client, who was in the middle of seeking asylum, just disappeared. One day he was there, and the next day we're supposed to have court, and he wasn't brought to court," Toczylowski added.

Romero is among 238 Venezuelan migrants transferred to El Salvador's high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) under a new deportation agreement between the Trump administration and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. President Trump, who has vowed to dismantle the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua, utilized the Alien Enemies Act—unused since WWII—to justify the deportations, branding the individuals as terrorists and gang members.

Since being flown to El Salvador, Romero’s legal team and loved ones have been unable to contact him. Images captured by Time magazine photographer Philip Holsinger show Romero inside CECOT. Holsinger recalled hearing a man cry out, "I'm not a gang member. I'm gay. I'm a stylist," before being slapped and forcibly shaved.

"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," said Toczylowski, expressing deep concern for her client's safety. "We have grave concerns about whether he can survive."