Andry Hernandez Romero | Family photo
Andry Hernández Romero, a Venezuelan gay makeup artist who had been at the center of a human rights outcry, was released from El Salvador’s notorious CECOT mega-prison and sent back to Venezuela on Friday, July 18, 2025.
This significant development occurred as part of a prisoner swap facilitated by the Trump administration. In this exchange, 10 U.S. citizens held in Venezuela were released. In return, more than 250 Venezuelan men, including Hernández Romero, who had been imprisoned in El Salvador, were repatriated to Venezuela.
His Unlawful Detention and Asylum Plea:
Andry Hernández Romero originally fled Venezuela in 2024, seeking asylum in the United States. His plea for protection stemmed from credible fears of persecution in his home country based on his sexual orientation and political views. However, in a move that drew widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and legal advocates, the Trump administration unlawfully deported him to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison in March 2025.
His deportation was carried out under the controversial Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which the administration invoked to remove non-citizens without due process. Hernández Romero was accused of having gang ties based on certain tattoos, despite his lawyers vehemently stating these tattoos referred to his parents and local Venezuelan traditions, and despite him having no criminal record. He was one of the lead plaintiffs in a legal challenge against this extraordinary use of the 18th-century act.
The Fight for Due Process:
His case highlighted a severe denial of due process. Hernández Romero’s asylum case in the U.S. was dismissed by an immigration judge in May 2025, a decision his legal team was actively appealing. For 125 days, he and the other Venezuelan men held in CECOT were effectively “disappeared,” held incommunicado with no access to their families or attorneys. This occurred in a facility infamous for its inhumane conditions, overcrowding, and allegations of torture and severe human rights abuses, including denial of adequate healthcare and food.
Advocacy and Lingering Concerns:
Numerous LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights advocates, including U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, vigorously campaigned for his release, raising alarms about his safety and the profound violations of his rights.
While his release from the brutal CECOT prison is undoubtedly a major relief, advocates express deep concern about his return to Venezuela, the very country he initially fled due to persecution. They emphasize that throughout this entire ordeal, his fundamental due process rights were continuously denied.
His long-term safety and his ability to re-seek asylum remain critical points of concern for his legal team and human rights organizations.
