Jerce Egbunik Reyes Barrios
Coming to the US
Jerce Egbunik Reyes Barrios is a professional soccer player and coach from Venezuela. According to hismattorney, Linette Tobin, Jerce fled violence in Venezuela after allegedly being detained and tortured in a clandestine building after publicly demonstrating against President Nicolas Maduro. He waited in Mexico for four months hs after he applied for an appointment on the CPB One app. He presented himself at the border as an asylum seeker. He had no criminal record in his country, but was detained in a maximum security prison while awaiting his asylum hearing.
Tattoos and hand gestures
Like the other men sent to CECOT, Jerce has tattoos that DHS says links him to Tren de Aragua. These tattoos include a soccer ball with a crown on top. The tattoo artist confirmed the tattoo represented a replication or a tribute to the logo of his favorite soccer team, Real Madrid from Spain. In addition, DHS is claiming that hand gestures he made in a Facebook post 10 years ago are proof of gang membership. The hand gesture is a very common one known as the “rock and roll hand sign” or “I love you” in sign language. Jerce has no criminal record.
Expulsion to CECOT
After presenting information to officials including proof of a lack of criminalrecord, Jerce was taken out of maximum security. In early March he was transferred from San Diego to another facility in Texas without notice. He had a final asylum hearing scheduled formApril 17 in San Diego. His family learned Jerce had veen deported to El Salvador after seeing photos of the men sent to CECOT.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/03/27/nx-s1-5341544/ice-el-salvador-jerce-reyes-barrios
