How America Turned Its Back on Andry Hernández Romero
“I’m not a gang member. I’m gay. I’m a stylist.”
— Andry Hernández Romero, crying out inside one of the world’s most notorious prisons
From Spotlight to Survival
Before he was shackled in a foreign prison for a crime he never committed, Andry José Hernández Romero was making art and bringing beauty to the screen. Born in the small town of Capacho, Venezuela, Andry rose to modest fame in his country as a makeup artist for state-run television, styling anchors, actors, and pageant contestants with skill, precision, and pride.
He was also a working actor in local productions, joining a theater troupe at the age of 7, and was known for his stage presence and charisma, often playing bold characters that reflected his courage in real life. Andry was a visible, vibrant part of Venezuela’s creative community. But that visibility came with risk.
Because Andry wasn’t just an artist, he was also gay, and in Venezuela, that made him a target.
Fleeing for His Life
Like many LGBTQ+ people in repressive regimes, Andry endured harassment, threats, and intimidation from both state-aligned militias and criminal gangs. He was followed. He was mocked. Andry was threatened with violence. Government authorities, those who once employed him, turned a blind eye or worse, whispered that people like him were “degenerates” or “subversives.”
He knew that to stay was to risk his life.
So in mid-2024, Andry made the most difficult decision of his life: he left his home and fled Venezuela, traveling on foot and by bus through South and Central America, including the treacherous Darién Gap, a jungle crossing infamous for death, assault, and brutality. What carried him through?
Hope.
Hope that the United States, the country that so often claims to stand for freedom, would grant him the one thing he could no longer find at home: safety.
He Did Everything America Asked
When Andry arrived at the U.S. border in San Diego, he didn’t sneak across or break any laws. He used the official CBP One app to schedule an entry and legally applied for asylum. He was screened by U.S. officials and passed his credible fear interview. He was told that yes, his fear was valid. Furthermore, he had a genuine opportunity for a new life.
He was sent to Otay Mesa Detention Center, where he awaited his immigration hearing. He had legal counsel. Not only that, but he had complied with every requirement. And he had no criminal history whatsoever.
He had done everything the United States asked of him.
And then, without warning, without a hearing, he disappeared.
A Promise Broken
On March 15, 2025, Andry was secretly deported, not to Venezuela, the country he had fled, but to El Salvador, a nation he had never lived in, never visited, and had no ties to.
Why?
The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, Trump signed the Act, claiming that his crown tattoos, which honored his parents and his hometown’s religious Three Kings Festival, were gang symbols. Without presenting any evidence, without allowing him to defend himself in court, they labeled him a gang member.
And they sent him to one of the most brutal prisons in the world.
Hell on Earth: CECOT
CECOT is El Salvador’s massive “mega-prison”, an Orwellian nightmare that has drawn international scrutiny for its abuse, torture, and public humiliation of inmates. It was not built for justice. It was built to instill fear.
Andry’s arrival was caught on camera by photojournalists. He was shoved, his hair shaved, and stripped, his humanity ripped away as he cried:
“I’m not a gang member. I’m gay. I’m a stylist.”
Inside CECOT, he was surrounded by hardened criminals and violent guards. For 125 days, he was locked in a place where being gay meant you were considered subhuman.
The Outcry
The injustice sparked a firestorm of protest.
Immigration lawyers and LGBTQ+ advocates across the country sounded the alarm. Elected officials from California Governor Gavin Newsom to Rep. Robert Garcia, Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Rep. Jerry Nadler demanded answers. Legal groups filed lawsuits. People marched in the streets.
This wasn’t just about one man. It was about a country reneging on its promises—weaponizing old laws to erase new lives.
A Fragile Freedom
On July 18, 2025, after immense public pressure and a quiet prisoner exchange, Andry was released from CECOT and flown, not to the U.S., but back to Venezuela.
He is now once again in a country where his life is in danger. Ari Shaw, Senior Fellow and Director of International Programs at the Williams Institute, told Citizen Ben, “LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face documented risks of persecution, violence, and discrimination when returned to countries with poor records on sexual and gender minority rights. In many cases, individuals who have fled their home countries due to their sexual orientation or gender identity may face increased danger upon return because their asylum claims can expose them to additional scrutiny and targeting. The principle of non-refoulement in international law exists precisely to protect vulnerable individuals from being returned to situations where they face serious harm.”
Yesterday, Andry spoke with his mother for the first time in over 125 days.
America washed its hands of him.
And yet, he never gave up on America. Even now, Andry’s lawyers continue to fight for his return to the USA.
Why This Matters
Let me be crystal clear:
- Andry legally applied for asylum.
- He had no criminal record.
- He was persecuted for being gay.
- He was deported without a hearing.
- He was sent to a country he had no connection to.
- He was imprisoned and brutalized.
- He was returned to a country that he had fled for his life.
This is not the America we claim to be. But it is the America we are becoming, unless we fight back.
What You Can Do
- Demand oversight of deportation policies and repeal of the Alien Enemies Act.
- Support immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights groups like ImmDef, ACLU, and HRC.
- Contact your elected officials and ask where they stand on this case.
- Tell this story. Tell your story. Share them widely.
Because if America can betray Andry, it can betray anyone.
Read. Resist. Remember.
✍️ citizenben.substack.com
