Despite U.S. immigration agents reportedly acknowledging they had the wrong person, a 19-year-old was deported to El Salvador's notorious mega-prison, according to his father.
Merwil Gutiérrez fled Venezuela with his father Wilmer in May 2023, escaping economic collapse and political instability in search of safety and opportunity in the U.S., according to Documented NY.
After a month-long journey through the Darién Gap and into Mexico, they legally applied for asylum at the U.S. border and eventually settled in New York, finding warehouse work while awaiting a 2027 court date for their immigration case.
On February 24, Merwil was detained by ICE near his Bronx apartment while returning from a visit to the American Red Cross. His father says agents allegedly appeared to acknowledge Merwil was not their intended target but took him anyway.
"The officers grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to our building. One said, 'No, he's not the one,' like they were looking for someone else," Wilmer told the outlet. "But the other said, 'Take him anyway.'"
Despite having no criminal history, gang affiliation or identifying tattoos, Merwil was held in Pennsylvania and, allegedly without family notification or court due process, was transferred to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)—a facility known for its harsh conditions.
Merwil's whereabouts remain unconfirmed, with his name absent from ICE's detainee locator system. His immigration attorney, William Parra, says ICE has not provided concrete information about where Merwil is being held.
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