A Venezuelan footballer was mistakenly deported to El Salvador after his tattoo was wrongly interpreted as a sign of gang affiliation. Jerce Reyes Barrios, 36, was in the US awaiting a decision on his asylum application when he was apprehended by agents who suspected him of being linked to Tren de Aragua - a notorious transnational narcoterrorist and criminal group from Venezuela - last September. Tren de Aragua has been labelled a foreign terror organisation by Trump . The arrest was based on one of his tattoos, which authorities claimed indicated gang ties. The tattoo that caused the confusion depicts a football with a crown, rosary, and the word "Dios," which translates to God in Spanish . Barrios' lawyer, Linette Tobin, stated that the tattoo artist had confirmed the design was influenced by the emblem of his preferred football club, Real Madrid, rather than any gang-related symbolism. READ MORE: Major Madeleine McCann update as prime suspect Christian Brueckner may walk free in just days A representative for the Department of Homeland Security informed the New York Post that the reasons for Barrios' detention extended beyond the single tattoo, noting that DHS officers also referenced a social media post where Barrios is seen making a hand gesture with his thumb, index finger, and pinkie. Tobin explained that this hand signal is widely recognised as meaning "I love you" in sign language or symbolising "rock n' roll", reports the Irish Star . Despite authorities initially being "confident" in their assessment of Barrios' supposed gang ties, they eventually moved him from maximum security after receiving evidence such as his clean criminal record, letters of employment, and a statement from the tattoo artist who inked him. However, earlier this month, Barrios was abruptly transferred from San Diego to a Texas facility "without notice," shared Tobin. On March 15, amid more than 200 Venezuelan migrants caught up in then-President Donald Trump's deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, Barrios found himself deported back to El Salvador. This action included an arrangement with President Nayib Bukele of the Central American country, whereby the deportees would be housed within a notorious Salvadoran prison. Since his deportation, neither Barrios' attorney nor his family have been able to make contact or ascertain any details regarding his well-being. With his ultimate asylum hearing in San Diego set for April 17, his appearance is now uncertain. "He has never been arrested or charged with a crime," Tobin emphasized in a recent sworn declaration. Last week, through a Facebook update, it was revealed by Barrios' uncle that the family only became aware of his transfer to El Salvador after recognizing him in widely circulated videos released by the Trump administration, which boasted of the large-scale removal of members from the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, allegedly including Barrios. "We were surprised to see him in the videos being released on social media of those deported to El Salvador," stated Jair Barrios. He further clarified that while the crown element of his nephew's tattoo is also used by the notorious Venezuelan gang, Jerce's was strictly football-related. "It should be noted that Jerce is a football player, and most of his tattoos are related to his love for football and his family," he began. "For example, he has a crown on top of a football. This crown is associated with the Tren de Aragua criminal group. He found out about this when he was already detained in the U.S." Prior to fleeing Venezuela last year, Barrios was a professional footballer for the Perijaneros Fútbol Club in the state of Zuliaand and a children's coach, according to Tobin. The South American had allegedly been detained and "tortured" in a "clandestine building" in his home country after publicly protesting against President Nicolás Maduro's regime in February and March 2024. Tobin explained that he legally approached the U.S.-Mexico border via the CBP One app - launched under the Biden administration to enable migrants to arrange asylum hearings and request entry at the border - in September 2024 and presented himself on the day of his appointment. However, he ended up being taken into custody. Since Trump resumed office in January, the CBP One app has been discontinued and Barrios' whereabouts are unknown. His lawyer and relatives know he's been deported to El Salvador, but further details about his situation remain elusive. "Counsel and family have lost all contact with him and have no information" regarding his location, Tobin noted in legal filings. Yet, Barrios' aunt, Ayari del Carmen Pedroza Guerrero, spoke to ABC News claiming she spotted her nephew in images from the infamous high-security CECOT prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, identifying him by a unique scar on his hand. "I wake up and I say, 'My God he must be sleeping on a cold floor. How is he doing?' You can imagine the thoughts I have," she expressed. The footballer, who is also a father, has not been mentioned to his young children as being jailed in El Salvador and subjected to at least a year of compulsory labour. However, they did share a video clip of his daughter talking fondly about her father. "I love him so much...he always tells me fairy tales and we always go to soccer games together" she said in the footage. "He loved me so much and always made me my breakfast of bread, eggs, and juice. I love you so much, dad."