Jerce R.B.: Venezuelan soccer player deported to El Salvador over tattoo
Jerce Reyes Barrios, a 36-year-old Venezuelan soccer player and father of two, was deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison. His attorney says the only evidence against him was a soccer-ball tattoo and old Facebook photos.
Mar 27, 2025Country of origin: Venezuela

Jerce Reyes Barrios, a 36-year-old Venezuelan soccer player and father of two, was deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison under the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act, allegedly as a member of Tren de Aragua gang. His attorney claims the deportation was wrongful, arguing the government's only evidence is a tattoo of a soccer ball with a crown (a tribute to Real Madrid) and hand gestures from old Facebook posts.
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Sources
- Deported over a tattoo? Lawyer claims client is not a gang member
NPR·Mar 27, 2025·archived copy
- Venezuelan men sue aviation firms who flew them to notorious Salvadorian jail
The Guardian·Jul 26, 2026
- Venezuelan soccer player claims ICE arrested him mistaking his Real Madrid tattoo as Tren de Aragua sign
- Soccer coach
Newsweek·Mar 20, 2025·archived copy
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