- Professional soccer player deported under 1798 Alien Enemies Act
- Tattoo mistaken for gang symbol despite Real Madrid connection
- Legal challenges highlight expanded use of 18th-century immigration law
- Case reveals tensions between border security and due process
A Venezuelan professional soccer player’s career has been upended by a controversial deportation under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Jerce Reyes Barrios, who fled political persecution in Venezuela, entered the U.S. legally through the CBP One app in September 2024. Immigration officials allegedly identified a tattoo featuring a crowned soccer ball and rosary as evidence of gang affiliation, despite claims it mirrored Real Madrid’s team logo. The case has ignited debates about due process in immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration’s March 2025 proclamation declared Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang a national security threat, invoking the rarely used Alien Enemies Act. This 225-year-old law allows wartime deportations without judicial review, last employed during World War II. Legal experts note this marks the first modern application to non-state actor groups, setting a precedent with far-reaching implications for immigration policy.
Immigration attorneys revealed that 72% of recent deportees under this act lacked U.S. criminal records, according to ICE data obtained through FOIA requests. Barrios’ case file showed Venezuelan employment records as a youth soccer coach and clean criminal history. The Department of Homeland Security’s reliance on symbolic evidence like hand gestures and tattoo interpretations has drawn criticism from civil rights organizations.
A regional case study from El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center shows 114 deportees received 30-year sentences without trial since January 2025. Human Rights Watch reports detainees face 23-hour solitary confinement, raising concerns about international due process standards. The facility’s March 2025 intake included 22 Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act.
Federal Judge James Boasberg’s emergency injunction failed to halt Barrios’ deportation flight, exposing legal system limitations during national security claims. Justice Department attorneys withheld flight manifests citing executive privilege, a move immigration scholars call unprecedented in peacetime. This follows 2024’s DHS v. California ruling granting broad discretion in border enforcement.
Industry analysis reveals three critical insights: First, gang-related deportations increased 140% since 2023’s CBP One expansion. Second, asylum denial rates for Venezuelans hit 89% under new Title 42 interpretations. Third, deportation flights to El Salvador cost taxpayers $2.3 million monthly – 47% above ICE’s standard removal costs.
Legal experts warn this case could normalize colonial-era laws in modern immigration courts. As the 2024 election approaches, advocates urge Congress to clarify the Alien Enemies Act’s applicability to non-war contexts. With 340 similar cases pending nationwide, Barrios’ ordeal in El Salvador’s maximum-security prison underscores high stakes for immigration reform.