An athlete innocently got a tattoo to express his love for sports but ended up being deported due to a misinterpretation of the inking. The soccer player, named Jerce Reyes Barrios, has been in the United States since September 2024 until Donald Trump came into office.
Barrios, aged 36, was a professional soccer player and a soccer coach for children in Venezuela. He joined a public protest against President Nicolas Maduro’s administration in March 2024. As a result of his involvement in the protest, the South American was detained and allegedly tortured and had to flee to the U.S. Barrios entered the country legally under former President Joe Biden’s administration by requesting an asylum hearing at the U.S.-Mexico border. However, the Venezuelan soccer player got arrested by ICE while waiting for a ruling on his asylum claim.
According to authorities, the basis for the soccer player’s arrest was a tattoo, which they insist signifies a gang affiliation. Barrios’ tattoo depicts a soccer ball, crown, and rosary, with the inscription of the word “Dios.” Officials say that the tattoo showed an association with a transnational criminal organization from Venezuela named Tren de Aragua.
A representative from the Department of Homeland Security also claimed that the soccer player was seen as a threat because he had one post on social media where he was seen holding up his fingers—his thumb, index finger, and pinkie—in what they think is a gang sign.
Despite the accusations, Barrios’ attorney, Linette Tobin, confirmed that the soccer player has never been arrested or charged with a crime. He also said that the tattoo artist who inked Barrios confirmed that the drawing only expressed his love for Real Madrid, his favorite soccer team. Furthermore, Tobin added that the signs Barrios showed in his social media feed signified “I love you” or “rock n’ roll” in sign language.
The South American was abruptly transferred to a Texas holding facility earlier this month. On March 15, he was one of the Venezuelan migrants who were deported to El Salvador under President Donald Trump’s Alien Enemies Act. Barrios’ family members have come forward to express shock and grief at his disappearance, saying they were not aware of his deportation until they identified him in viral videos. The athlete’s uncle said:
“We were surprised to see him in the videos being released on social media of those deported to El Salvador.”
He added, “It should be noted that Jerce is a soccer player, and most of his tattoos are related to his love for soccer and his family.”
According to comments on Reddit, the judge questioning the DOJ lawyer said, “Nazis in the US were treated better than this. There was a panel and a hearing before anyone was moved.”
Social media users have also protested the unlawful arrest, saying, “Well, if we’re deporting immigrants based on their hand gestures, now we have to deport Musk for his.”
Another user added, “This is explicitly how terrorists are made. Just saying...”
Barrios’ family and attorney have been unable to contact him since his deportation, the New York Post reports. His final asylum hearing was initially scheduled for April 17 in San Diego. However, it is unclear if the hearing will still be held.
