U.S. immigration authorities deported Venezuelan soccer player and children’s coach Jerce Reyes Barrios to a notorious prison in El Salvador, citing a tattoo that allegedly ties him to gang activity. His attorney argues that the tattoo simply resembles the emblem of Real Madrid, but Barrios was removed under the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act.
Barrios fled Venezuela following his involvement in anti-government protests, arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border in September 2024. He sought entry through the CBP One app but was subsequently detained. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that his deportation was justified by supposed gang affiliations indicated by his tattoo and his activity on social media.
Tobin, Barrios’ attorney, challenged these assertions, clarifying that the tattoo incorporates a crown and a soccer ball alongside the word “Dios,” which translates to God.
A Tattoo, A Social Media Post, and a Deportation
Despite having a hearing scheduled for the following month, Barrios was abruptly deported on March 15 to El Salvador’s infamous Terrorism Confinement Center. Described by CNN’s David Culver as “spartan” and overpopulated, the facility houses between 10,000 and 20,000 inmates who endure severe conditions, including nearly 24-hour lockdowns, the absence of bedding, and shared open restrooms.
ABC News received a sworn statement from the tattoo artist who created Barrios’ design, verifying that the choice was made because of its resemblance to the logo of his favorite soccer team, Real Madrid. “In reality, he chose this tattoo because it is similar to the logo for his favorite soccer team,” Tobin highlighted.
A senior DHS official defended the deportation, asserting to UNILAD that: “Jerce Reyes Barrios was not only in the United States illegally, but he has tattoos that are consistent with those indicating TdA gang membership. His own social media indicates he is a member of the vicious TdA gang.”
Even when a federal judge moved to block such deportations, the ruling arrived too late, with flights already en route. Since then, Barrios’ family and legal representatives have lost all means of communication with him, leaving his future in limbo.
The case, which has attracted significant public interest, underscores the complexities of immigration policy, tattoos as potential indicators of gang affiliation, and the broader implications of deportation practices under U.S. law.
