The Tragedy of Andry Hernández Romero
A Call for Justice and a Reckoning with America’s Fading Promise
For over a decade now, I’ve sounded the alarm on the global persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, from the brutal crackdowns in Russia to the systemic violence in countries where being yourself is a death sentence. In 2013, at the age of 21, I sat across from the iconic Larry King on his Hulu show Politicking, dissecting Russia’s anti-gay propaganda laws and the chilling effect they had on vulnerable communities. I spoke then of the need for America to stand as a beacon of hope, a refuge for those fleeing oppression. As an activist I have championed organizations like OutRight International, which tirelessly advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the darkest corners of the world. But today, I write with a heavy heart, as the United States- under the shadow of Donald Trump’s policies- has betrayed that legacy, casting a gay Venezuelan makeup artist, Andry José Hernández Romero, into a nightmare that epitomizes the very authoritarianism I’ve long condemned.
Andry, a 31-year-old asylum seeker, fled Venezuela to escape political persecution and anti-LGBTQ+ violence. He followed the legal path, entering California through the CBP One app, seeking refuge from a homeland where his identity made him a target. But instead of safety, he was met with a Kafkaesque ordeal. Labeled a security risk because of his tattoos- cultural symbols, not gang affiliations, his family insists- Andry was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and, on March 15, 2025, deported to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a mega-prison designed for gang members, where inmates are stripped of contact, sunlight, and basic human dignity. Over a month and a half later, he is still there. This is not just a miscarriage of justice; it is a moral failure that demands Andry’s immediate release and a reckoning with America’s shredded reputation as a champion of civil liberties.
The images of Andry, bent over and praying as prison guards shaved his head, are haunting. A photojournalist who witnessed his intake described him “crying out for his mother”- a gut-wrenching reminder of his humanity. Andry is no criminal. He is a hairdresser, an artist, a man who sought a better life. Yet, under Trump’s invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act (which has already been struck down in court), he was swept up in a dragnet targeting alleged Tren de Aragua gang members, with little evidence beyond the flimsiest of assumptions. This is the same reckless profiling I’ve decried in lawless regimes, where dissenters and minorities are scapegoated to fuel political narratives. In Russia, I saw how Putin’s regime vilified LGBTQ+ people as threats to “traditional values.” Now, in America, we see a parallel: a gay asylum seeker branded a “terrorist” to justify a cruel deportation machine.
I’ve worked since I started getting involved in the fight for gay rights as a teenager to amplify the voices of those persecuted for who they are. Through my advocacy and support for pro-asylum seeker support groups, I’ve pushed for global accountability, urging democratic nations to lead by example. But Trump’s policies have turned that mission on its head. The deportation of Andry and over 200 other Venezuelans to CECOT- a prison compared to a modern gulag- signals a scary shift. America, once a sanctuary for the oppressed, is now complicit in their suffering. This is not just about one man; it’s about the erosion of a principle that has defined this nation’s identity: that we are a haven for those fleeing discrimination and persecution.
The hypocrisy is staggering. Trump praises El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who jails innocents without due process, while ignoring the cries of Andry’s family and the American LGBTQ+ community that embraced him. Bukele’s refusal to release Andry, even after a federal judge ruled another similarly unjustified deportation was unlawful, underscores the complicity of both leaders in this human rights travesty. This is the kind of dictatorial playbook I’ve warned about for years- governments wielding power to crush the vulnerable, all while cloaking their actions in “security” rhetoric.
We must demand Andry’s release and his safe return to the United States. His case is a clarion call to restore due process and end the use of archaic laws to deport asylum seekers without evidence. But beyond Andry, we must confront the broader betrayal of America’s promise. The rallies in San Francisco and West Hollywood, where hundreds have gathered recently to plead for his freedom, show that the spirit of resistance is alive. Yet it will take more than protests to rebuild what Trump’s policies have torn down. It will take a recommitment to the values I’ve championed since my early days of gay activism- values of compassion, justice, and unwavering support for those who seek refuge.
Andry Hernández Romero is not a gang member. He is a gay man, a dreamer, a victim of a system that has lost its moral and ethical standing. His story is a stain on America’s conscience, a reminder that we are failing the very people we once vowed to protect. Let us fight for his release, for the restoration of due process, and for an America that once again stands as a beacon for the persecuted. The world is watching, and history will judge us by what we do next.