Maiker Espinoza Escalona
According to sworn testimony given by Maiker Espinoza Escalona as he grew concerned about being deported o Guantanamo, he and his partner who are Venezuelan nationals entered the US on May 14, 2024 to seek asylum. Since May 22, he and Yorelis were detained in the El Salvador processing center. Their child was placed with ORR, which is responsible for unaccompanied minors. He was detained due to his tattoos.
The tattoos
In his sworn statement, Maiker states, “I have twenty tattoos. One of the cartoon character Yosemite Sam, the cartoon character Marvin the Martian, the phrase "Life is on take advantage", half a woman's face with a spider, the cartoon character of a minion, a money bag, the song name "Pensando en Ti" which means "Thinking of You", my uncle's name, an eagle, my niece's name, a star, the word "Fe" which means "Faith" with a heart, my birth year, a handshake, the ghost icon for the application called Snapchat, adagger, the face of a DJ called "Marshmello", the back of a compass with a plane and myname abbreviated as "Maik", a cross, and a crown.” None of these tattoos is affiliated with any gang activity.
According to Yorelis’ mother, “"My daughter has a tattoo of the year I was born and the year her dad was born. She also has the name of her son and some flowers on her chest. Maiker is a tattoo artist and he would do her tattoos."
Deportation to Guantanamo, CECOT and Venezuela
In March, Maiker was transferred to Guantanamo just as he feared. Shortly thereafter, he was sent with 16 other men to CECOT prison in El Salvador. According to DHS, he has been accused of being a lieutenant of Tren de Aragua who oversees homicides, drug sales, kidnapping, extortion, sex trafficking and operates a torture house. The DHS also claims Yorelis Bernal Inciarte oversees recruitment of young women for drug smuggling and prostitution. She was deported to Venezuela without the baby who remains in foster care in the US. No evidence of these crimes has been presented.
What can you do?
Continue to put pressure on your representatives to demand the release of Escalona and Inciarte and other deportees who received no due process afforded to them by the US Constitution before deportation to El Salvador: Click here to find your State Representative; Click here to find your Senator.
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