Lawyer of ‘Disappeared’ Venezuelan Make-Up Artist: ‘Forcibly’ Taking Our Client ‘Shocks the Conscience’

EXCERPT:

TOCZYLOWSKI: “So, the only reason we know that our client is in El Salvador is because he was supposed to be in court last Thursday. ICE never presented him. Over the ensuing days, we realized that he was likely part of this, you know, group of planes that went to El Salvador. When we went to court on Monday, we were finally told by ICE that it was confirmed he was in El Salvador. And that moment they said that he was removed to El Salvador. The immigration judge said, how is it possible that he’s been removed if there’s no removal order? And the ICE attorney that was in the courtroom said, I don’t know. The case has been set over. So we do have a hearing coming up in a couple of weeks. But ICE has now told us that they will not facilitate communication with our client because he has, in their words, been removed and that they will not make him available for that hearing in two weeks. So, at this point, we are, of course, watching the case closely. That is ongoing, related to the Alien Enemies Act. And we’re pursuing all avenues because, you know, our client’s life is at risk. We’re concerned for his safety, and the fact that he was, you know, forcibly taken from the United States with no due process, you know, it’s just — it’s something that really shocks the conscience in a way that we haven’t seen since family separation happened in 2018.”