ALBAWABA - The Trump Administration recently sparked outrage after deporting a gay makeup artist from Venezuela named Andry José Hernández Romero after falsely accusing him of having "crown" tattoos, a symbol linked to gang members.
According to The Daily Mail, after getting deported, the 31-year-old was sent to a "hellhole" prison located in El Salvador by the US administration. He was detained at the Mexico-US border after seeking asylum in the country due to his sexual orientation by requesting a pre-arranged hearing in San Diego, California.
Agents arrested Andry after noticing two tattoos on his wrists that read "mom" and "dad," with two crowns on top, deeming him a part of a notorious Venezuelan gang named Tren de Aragua, known for its human trafficking and extortion practices across Latin America.
Trump administration deports gay makeup artist over 'gang member' tattoo
The claims were then proven false since the makeup artist's tattoos were inspired by a Christian tradition called the "Three Kings Day," which is widely celebrated every year in his hometown, Capacho. The Daily Mail also revealed that many locals in the town have the same tattoos as Andry.
The Guardian contacted Andry's mother, who claimed that she hasn't heard from her son since his departure to El Salvador's "hellhole" prison.
Relatives of Venezuelan migrants deported from the US to a maximum security prison in El Salvador shout slogans during a vigil in front of El Salvador embassy in Caracas on April 2, 2025. (Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP)
His mother said, "Everyone has these crowns, many people. But that doesn't mean they're involved in the Tren de Aragua." She added, "We know nothing. They say nothing. They give no information. That's the trauma – not knowing anything about these young men, especially mine."
American podcaster Joe Rogan also voiced his concern for the makeup artist and everyone suffering a similar situation, saying that innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire between the US government and the deportation of Latin American gang members.
Andry was caught in between Trump's recent efforts to mass deport hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador's prison, under the Alien Enemies Act. In response, the Federal Court temporarily halted Trump's efforts on March 26, 2025, according to The Conversation.
The act was passed in 1798, allowing the president to remove people from the US during war. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that mass deportation is necessary to combat gang members as part of "modern-day warfare."
