On Tuesday, the United States government requested additional time from a Houston judge to locate Widmer Agelviz-Sanguino, a 24-year-old Venezuelan man who was reportedly deported to El Salvador due to his tattoos, which officials claim are associated with a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua.
This request came just a day after a federal judge had ordered government officials to track down Agelviz-Sanguino.
Agelviz-Sanguino had undergone a thorough vetting process under a refugee resettlement program before arriving at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston last fall.
Upon his arrival, customs officers immediately flagged him because of his tattoos, which drew concerns regarding potential gang affiliation.
His attorney, Javier Rivera, explained that the tattoos represent significant personal memories to Agelviz-Sanguino, including a rose garden he associated with his grandmother, an owl that visited his home’s windowsill, and a clock marking cherished childhood moments.
In an interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the airport, Agelviz-Sanguino shared that he and his family had fled Venezuela for Ecuador to escape pervasive gang activity.
However, the Department of Homeland Security documents indicated that his entry was denied due to alleged gang affiliation, as assessed solely on visual inspection by CBP officers.
Rivera stated, “CBP believed, just out of visual inspection of him, that they were gang affiliations.”
Agelviz-Sanguino’s family and legal team last heard from him in mid-March, and on May 9, they filed a lawsuit against U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials.
The lawsuit contends that his deportation was a blatant violation of due process rights and undermined the authority of the immigration court system.
Rivera expressed concerns, stating, “The family has not heard a word from him, and to be honest, there’s been no actual proof that he’s actually in CECOT or El Salvador.”
He highlighted that their understanding of Agelviz-Sanguino’s deportation relied on a news article from CBS that mentioned a list of Venezuelan individuals deported to CECOT.
Furthermore, the government has failed to provide any documentation affirming that Agelviz-Sanguino has been sent out of the country.
When queried, the Department of Justice declined to comment on the matter.
Judge Keith Ellison of the United States District Court in the Southern District of Texas had established three key deadlines in the case.
The initial deadline passed on Tuesday, prompting the government’s request for further time to locate Agelviz-Sanguino.
Another deadline is slated for Wednesday, when the government must facilitate communication between attorneys and their client, while the final deadline set for Thursday mandates that defendants detail the steps taken to comply with the judge’s orders, including any logistical arrangements made with authorities in El Salvador.
This case echoes the situation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian man from Maryland who faced deportation due to what was claimed to be an administrative mistake, inciting outrage, including backlash from former President Donald Trump, who mentioned in a social media post that Garcia had gang-related tattoos.
The complexities surrounding deportation cases highlight significant communication issues, particularly for those unable to interact effectively with their legal representatives.
Rivera pointed out the difficulties inherent in this system, emphasizing that communication with clients is fundamental to understanding their experiences and furthering their cases in court.
After encountering federal agents at the Houston airport last fall, Agelviz-Sanguino was transferred to a detention facility in Montgomery County, where he received a notice to appear in removal proceedings initiated by the government.
Despite applying for asylum to avert removal, Agelviz-Sanguino’s situation was complicated by the fact that he had already been granted refugee status.
His final hearing was scheduled for April 1, at which an immigration judge was expected to make a decision on his asylum application.
However, on March 15, Agelviz-Sanguino was deported from the U.S. under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a centuries-old law that enables the immediate removal of nationals deemed a threat to the United States.
The invocation of this act in deportations is currently a subject of legal disputes and scrutiny.
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