Dem Congressman cites USA TODAY, presses for answers on gay stylist sent to El Salvador
Dem Congressman cites USA TODAY, presses for answers on gay stylist sent to El Salvador
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Tattoos used by officials to identify and deport Venezuelan migrants
Advocates for Venezuelan migrants say immigration authorities are using tattoos to wrongfully tie them to the Tren de Aragua prison gang.
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia wants answers from a private detention center contractor and the federal officials who handled the deportation of a 31-year-old gay Venezuelan asylum seeker featured in USA TODAY earlier this month.
Garcia, D-California, sent two formal oversight letters April 17 to the heads of CoreCivic, the contractor, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
As part of Garcia's letter, he cited the investigative report that revealed a former Milwaukee police officer with credibility issues worked for CoreCivic. According to a court filing, Charles Cross Jr., was involved in the process to flag the Venezuelan as a suspected member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang based on his tattoos.
By May 1, Garcia wants answers to his "grave concerns" regarding Andry José Hernandez, the makeup artist. He issued six questions aimed at understanding CoreCivic's hiring, screening and training practices and whether the company collaborates with ICE on gang determinations that may impact deportation decisions.
Hernandez was one of more than 200 Venezuelan migrants sent to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center on March 15. His attorneys have said Hernandez's crown tattoos labeled "Mom" and "Dad," are common cultural symbols in his hometown of Capacho, Venezuela, associated with Three Kings Day celebrations.
While in detention at CoreCivic's Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, Hernandez was screened by Cross and another staffer, Arturo Torres. The results of that screening are documented on a CoreCivic questionnaire now part of a federal court record.
It's unclear to what extent Hernandez was evaluated by federal agents, or whether other corroborating evidence was used to accuse him of ties to the criminal group. Hernandez fled Venezuela last year because he claimed he was persecuted as a gay man – one of the protected groups allowed to claim asylum under U.S. law.
He passed an initial "credible fear" interview with a federal agent but, after Border Patrol authorities questioned him about his tattoos, he was transferred to ICE custody and sent to the detention center.
A CoreCivic spokesperson confirmed it received Garcia's letter and planned to respond. CoreCivic insists that it does not enforce immgration laws and that any deportation orders are made by ICE.
Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for the Nashville company, told USA TODAY that it provides specialized training for employees who all must 'clear a rigorous, federal background clearance process.'
Gustin said it screens all individuals for potential affiliation with gangs and other threat groups as a precaution, but does not make those determinations on behalf of ICE.
An ICE spokesperson said April 21 that it would respond to the letter 'through official channels and by appropriate officials at the agency.' Previously, the Department of Homeland Security declined to offer details on the Hernandez case, but said that the department uses more than just tattoos to determine gang allegience.
Cross, 62, was fired from his position as a Milwaukee police sergeant in 2012 after driving his car into a family's home while intoxicated. He appealed the decision and resigned in the process, according to the department.
A misdemeanor criminal charge from 2007 landed him on the city's Brady List, used by prosecutors to identify police who had been accused of lying, breaking the law or acting in a way that erodes their credibility to testify in court, according to Milwaukee County District Attorney records.
On April 21, Garcia and three other Democratic lawmakers traveled to El Salvador to get information on the detainees transferred to the country and advocate for their release.
That trip followed the high-profile stop earlier in April by U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, who met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man wrongly deported "in error" by the administration in March.
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Chadwick and the deputy chief were claimed to have turned a blind eye to significant misconduct and allegedly accused internal affairs of an excessive overreach. 'That could be the furthest from the truth,' the retired sergeant wrote. 'Yet it was fully supported by Chief Chadwick when she was asked to explain the decisions she made.' The email to Garcia-Vause ends with accusations of corruption and poor management, which the retired chief asks to be investigated. 'I am sincerely sorry you had to endure the workplace environment you described,' Garcia-Vause wrote in response. 'I would like to know more about the incident you shared and your experiences in the police department.' Garcia-Vause thanked the retired sergeant by email and wrote that she looked forward to meeting them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
