A lawyer who represents a migrant sent to El Salvador under the Alien enemies law in which his client was deported due to a football logo tattoo, according to the court statements presented on Wednesday night.
Linette Tobin represents Jerce Reyes Barrios, a professional football player from Venezuela who protested against the Maduro regime in February and March 2024 and was arrested and tortured after one of the demonstrations.
Barrios arrived at the border between the United States and Mexico legally through the CBP One application in September 2024, but has been accused of being a member of the Aragua train, or TDA, and was arrested in an installation under maximum security, Tobin said.
Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan Gang Train of Aragua recently deported by the United States government to be imprisoned in the prison of the Terrorism Confinement Center, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, obtained on March 16, 2025.
Press Secretary of the Presidency Via Reuters
The Biden administration expanded the use of the CBP One telephone request to allow migrants to send background information and program appointments with immigration officials in the entry ports. Officials would determine if the person could be allowed in the country, some to submit an asylum claim. President Donald Trump eliminated that characteristic during his first days in office.
The National Security Department has accused Barrios of having a tattoo affiliated with gangs and said that a photo of it showed him showing gang signs.
The tattoo in question showed a crown sitting at the top of a football ball with a rosary and the word “God” (God), according to Tobin. A statement by the tattoo artist confirmed that Barrios chose it because it was similar to the Real Madrid football team logo, said the lawyer. According to Tobin, those alleged gang signs were the symbol of the hand for rock and roll and “i love you” in sign language.
Tobin also said that he presented Venezuela records that indicated that neighborhoods had no criminal record in his country of origin and that he was employed as a professional football player and children’s soccer coach.
When asked about the affidavit of neighborhoods, the White House referred to a statement by the DHS spokesman, Tricia McLaughlin.
“Jerce Reyes Barrios was not only illegally in the United States, but it has tattoos that are consistent with those that indicate membership in TDA gangs,” he said in a statement. “His own social networks indicate that he is a member of the vicious Tda gang. Everything he said, the DHS intelligence evaluations go beyond a single tattoo and trust our findings.”
When asked if the administration had additional evidence that neighborhood was a member of the gang, an administration official told ABC News that he had other tattoos that were affiliated with ADD.
Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan Gang Train of Aragua recently deported by the United States government to be imprisoned in the prison of the Terrorism Confinement Center, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, obtained on March 16, 2025.
Press Secretary of the Presidency Via Reuters
After the lawyer initially presented the information about the source of the tattoo and his lack of criminal record, Barrios was transferred by maximum security after presenting this evidence and had an audience established for April 17, according to his lawyer.
Around March 10 or 11, Tobin said his client was transferred to Texas without prior notice and was immediately deported to El Salvador on March 15.
“The advice and family have lost all contact with him and have no information” about his whereabouts, Tobin wrote in judicial documents.
The aunt of Barrios, Ayari del Carmen Pedroza Guerrero, told ABC News that she recognized her nephew in photos of the famous Cecot prison in El Salvador, saying that she recognized a distinctive scar in one of her hands.
“I wake up and say: ‘My God, he must be sleeping in a cold floor. How is he?’ You can imagine the thoughts I have, ”he said.
Jerce Reyes, a Venezuelan football player, was deported to El Salvador under the Alien enemies law.
Courtesy of the family of Jerce Reyes Barrio
The family of Barrios said they had not told their young children that they have imprisoned in El Salvador and facing at least one year of forced labor, but shared a video that they filmed about their daughter speaking of their father.
“I love him very much … He always tells me fairy tales and we always go to the soccer games together,” he said in the video. “I loved me a lot and always made my bread breakfast, eggs and juice. I love you very much, dad.”
Trump announced on Saturday that he had signed a proclamation declaring that the train gang of Aragua was “carrying out an irregular war” against the United States and, therefore, would deport its members under the alien enemies law of 1798.
The United States District Judge, James Boasberg, blocked on Saturday that the Trump Sports Administration to non -citizens under the Alien Enemies Law and ordered two flights to be delivered that the Administration said they deported to the alleged members of migrant gangs to El Salvador.
After the officials could not change the flights, Judge Boasberg demanded that provide more information About flights, under Seal, but the lawyers of the Department of Justice refused, citing national security concerns. According to a presentation of the court on Wednesday, the DOJ lawyers said they are considering invoking the privilege of state secrets to deny the judge that information.
