Full Breakdown
Venezuelan Makeup Artist Seeks Asylum in Spain After U.S.-Ordered Deportation to El Salvador Prison
5/22/2026, 10:58:02 PM
The Asylum Request: Core Event
Andry José Hernández Romero, a 33-year-old hairstylist and makeup artist from western Venezuela, arrived in Spain in early February 2026 to request asylum. He left the United States after the Trump administration deported him—along with 136 other Venezuelan men—to El Salvador’s maximum-security prison, Cecot, under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Hernández says he does not feel safe returning to Venezuela or the United States and hopes Spain’s “open policies toward immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community” will protect him.
Background: From Venezuelan Persecution to U.S. Deportation
Hernández fled Venezuela because of persecution as a gay man and opposition to Nicolás Maduro’s government. In March 2025, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act to order the expulsion of 136 Venezuelan men, branding the criminal gang Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization and falsely accusing them of planning an invasion of the United States. The men were transferred to Cecot, where international human-rights groups documented psychological and physical abuse, including sexual violence. In August 2025, Hernández received a job offer from the vice-president’s office of Venezuela, then headed by Delcy Rodríguez; he declined, and officials visited his family’s home, prompting renewed fear for his safety. Rodríguez later became acting president after U.S. forces captured Maduro.
Timeline of Key Developments
- Pre-2025 – Hernández migrates to the United States to escape Venezuelan persecution.
- March 2025 – Trump administration orders deportation of 136 Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act.
- August 2025 – Vice-president’s office contacts Hernández; family visit heightens fear.
- Late 2025 – Delcy Rodríguez sworn acting president of Venezuela.
- Early February 2026 – Hernández departs for Spain.
- Late May 2026 – First asylum interview scheduled in Spain.
Key Actors
- Andry José Hernández Romero – asylum seeker.
- Donald Trump – former U.S. president who ordered deportations.
- Delcy Rodríguez – Venezuelan vice-president turned acting president.
- James Boasberg – U.S. federal judge who ordered the return of deportees to El Salvador.
- Lindsay Toczylowski – co-founder of Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Hernández’s attorney.
- Pedro Sánchez – Spanish prime minister who announced legal status for 500,000 migrant workers.
Data & Statistics
- 252 Venezuelan migrants were globally deported from the United States to Cecot.
- 136 men, including Hernández, were expelled under the Alien Enemies Act.
- Spain plans to grant legal status to roughly 500,000 migrant workers, most from Latin America.
- By 30 April 2026, more than 25,000 Venezuelans had applied for asylum in Spain, the highest national group in 2025.
Why It Matters
The case illustrates how U.S. immigration enforcement can intersect with LGBTQ+ persecution, international human-rights standards, and bilateral asylum obligations. Spain’s willingness to grant protection contrasts sharply with the United States’ “harsh anti-immigration agenda,” highlighting divergent policy approaches within the Western world.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of the deported men to El Salvador and provide due process. A federal appeals court later blocked Boasberg from investigating whether the administration knowingly defied that order. In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reaffirmed the country’s commitment to granting legal status to migrant workers and noted that Venezuelans constitute the largest group of asylum seekers in 2025. Hernández’s lawyer, Lindsay Toczylowski, emphasized the moral imperative of clearing her client’s name, stating that accusations lack evidence.
Criticism & Opposition
Human-rights observers have condemned the Alien Enemies Act deportations as “bizarre” and lacking due process. Hernández’s experience of forced labor, head shaving, and sexual violence at Cecot has been cited as evidence of the United States’ “harsh anti-immigration agenda.” Legal scholars argue that the appeals-court decision undermines judicial oversight of executive immigration actions.
On the Ground: Hernández’s Account
Hernández describes lingering trauma: a tap on the shoulder triggers memories of Cecot’s cages. He recounts hiding from officials after a vice-presidential visit and refusing a job that would tie him to a government that persecuted him. Despite the ordeal, he says he “doesn’t hold a grudge against the U.S.” and seeks a fresh start in Spain.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total number of deportees: 252 migrants are described as “abruptly deported,” while 136 men are specifically noted as expelled under the Alien Enemies Act. The legal pathway for Hernández to clear his name remains unclear, as the appeals court blocked further judicial review.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I can say I feel safe here, this is a place where I can be reborn, heal my mental health, let people know about my abilities as a makeup artist and find the happiness they took away from me more than a year ago,” — Andry José Hernández Romero
- “I had received a call from the vice-president’s office and I was offered a job, which I declined, and then they came to my house and my family had to tell them I wasn’t there,” — Andry José Hernández Romero
- “never been in a situation where it was not safe for a client to seek protection in the US” — Lindsay Toczylowski, Immigrant Defenders Law Center
- “But from a moral perspective, he was accused with absolutely no evidence of being part of something that he has never had anything to do with.” — Lindsay Toczylowski
- “I can’t judge an entire country based on the actions of a group of people like Donald Trump [or] Kristi Noem, but entering the US at this time doesn’t guarantee I will keep my freedom and that is why I will continue to fight my case from Spain.” — Andry José Hernández Romero
What’s Next
Hernández’s first asylum interview is slated for the end of May 2026. A favorable decision could grant him legal residence in Spain and allow him to pursue avenues to clear his name. The case may also prompt renewed scrutiny of the Alien Enemies Act and U.S. deportation practices, while Spain’s response could influence broader European asylum policies toward LGBTQ+ migrants.
