Andry Blanco Bonilla

Andry Blanco-Bonilla, a 40-year-old Venezuelan, legally entered the U.S. in December 2023 using the CPB-One app and was granted a work permit while his asylum case was pending. He was living in Austin and working as a painter when he was detained by immigration officers in February 2024 due to suspicion of gang affiliation, based solely on his tattoos. Despite his family’s denial of these accusations, Andry was held for five months without charges and agreed to deportation to avoid lengthy detention. He was released until his next check-in, but was re-arrested by ICE in February 2025. His mother, Carmen, last heard from him in mid-March, after which he was listed among those deported to El Salvador. Carmen expressed deep concern for her son’s health and treatment in detention.

From ‘The Disappeared’:

Andry Blanco-Bonilla, age 40, entered the US legally on the CPB-One app in December, 2023, receiving a work permit while his asylum was pending. He lived in Austin and worked as a painter, sending money back to his family in Venezuela.

On Feb. 21, 2024, he accompanied his cousin to an immigration check-in. While at the immigration center, an officer noticed one of Andry’s tattoos and asked him if he had more. Andry showed him all his tattoos, and to his horror, the officer said they were detaining him and accused him of being member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. Andry’s family strongly denies this accusation.

Andry’s mother, Carmen Bonilla, said he was detained for five months, but never charged. During his incarceration, Andry developed high blood pressure and insomnia, she said, and was put on medications. During this incarceration, Andry agreed to be deported because he didn’t want to spend years in detention pending an asylum claim, and he was again released until his next check in.
Then on February 6th 2025, ICE came to Andry’s house to arrest him and put him back into detention pending deportation. Carmen last heard from Andry on Friday March 14. He told her he would be deported to Venezuela the next day. She waited for his call, but when none came, she started enlarging the photos and videos from the El Salvador flights to see if he was in any of them. She thought she saw him in one of the photos, and this was confirmed the following week when Andry was on the list of the men sent to El Salvador.

“I don’t know if they’re giving him his medication in there, if they’re checking him out,” Carmen said, “Now I’m even more worried because I see how they have been treated and pushed around. I’m sick, I don’t know what to do,” she added.
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Articles:

Anguished families are losing hope as they can’t reach loved ones sent to El Salvador mega-prison

Del The Disappeared:

Andry Blanco-Bonilla, de 40 años, ingresó legalmente a los Estados Unidos en la aplicación CPB-One en diciembre de 2023, recibiendo un permiso de trabajo mientras su asilo estaba pendiente. Vivía en Austin y trabajaba como pintor, enviando dinero a su familia en Venezuela.

El 21 de febrero de 2024, acompañó a su primo a un registro de inmigración. Mientras estaba en el centro de inmigración, un oficial notó uno de los tatuajes de Andry y le preguntó si tenía más. Andry le mostró todos sus tatuajes, y para su horror, el oficial dijo que lo detendrían y lo acusaron de ser miembro de la notoria pandilla Tren de Aragua. La familia de Andry niega rotundamente esta acusación.

La madre de Andry, Carmen Bonilla, dijo que estuvo detenido durante cinco meses, pero nunca fue acusado. Durante su encarcelamiento, Andry desarrolló presión arterial alta e insomnio, dijo, y le recetaron medicamentos. Durante este encarcelamiento, Andry aceptó ser deportado porque no quería pasar años detenido mientras esperaba una solicitud de asilo, y nuevamente fue liberado hasta su próxima cita.
Luego, el 6 de febrero de 2025, ICE fue a la casa de Andry para arrestarlo y ponerlo de nuevo en detención pendiente de deportación. Carmen escuchó por última vez a Andry el viernes 14 de marzo. Él le dijo que sería deportado a Venezuela al día siguiente. Esperó su llamada, pero al no recibirla, comenzó a ampliar las fotos y videos de los vuelos a El Salvador para ver si él estaba en alguno de ellos. Pensó que lo vio en una de las fotos, y esto se confirmó la semana siguiente cuando Andry estaba en la lista de los hombres enviados a El Salvador.

“No sé si le están dando su medicación allí, si lo están revisando”, dijo Carmen, “Ahora estoy aún más preocupada porque veo cómo los han tratado y empujado. Estoy enferma, no sé qué hacer”, agregó.
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