A Venezuelan migrant's controversial deportation to El Salvador's terrorism detention facility unfolds amid conflicting narratives about his criminal history.
According to Daily Caller, newly obtained Department of Homeland Security documents reveal that 19-year-old Merwil Gutierrez Flores faced multiple felony charges, including possession of a loaded firearm near a school, contradicting media reports that portrayed him as having no criminal record.
The criminal charges emerged from a February 25 arrest in New York, just one day before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took him into custody. Gutierrez Flores was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, carrying a loaded firearm on school grounds, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and unlawful possession of ammunition feeding devices.
DHS officials identified Gutierrez Flores as an associate of Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang. This connection prompted his March 15 deportation to El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT, under a cooperative agreement between President Trump and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the severity of Gutierrez Flores's case:
Merwil Alberto Gutierrez Flores was deported to CECOT because he is an associate of Tren de Aragua — a foreign terrorist organization — whose criminal record included an arrest for having a loaded firearm and ammunition feeding devices at a school. The Biden Administration released this dangerous criminal into our communities in 2023. President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem are getting these criminals off our streets and out of country.
The Trump administration has prioritized deporting suspected Tren de Aragua members despite ongoing legal challenges to these efforts.
Initial media reports painted a different picture of Gutierrez Flores's situation. Several news outlets emphasized claims that he had no criminal record and was not the intended target of ICE's investigation.
Attorney William Parra previously stated to Newsweek:
Merwil was detained for hanging out with friends and was at the wrong place at the wrong time. ICE was not looking for him, nor is there any evidence whatsoever that Merwil was in any gang.
These conflicting narratives highlight the complex nature of immigration enforcement and media coverage of deportation cases.
The case has become a focal point in discussions about U.S. immigration policy. Gutierrez Flores and his father entered the country illegally in 2023 and applied for asylum. DHS officials point to this case as evidence of systemic issues in immigration processing.
The Trump administration argues that the extended waiting period for immigration hearings – Gutierrez Flores's hearing was scheduled for February 1, 2027 – creates public safety risks when individuals with criminal charges remain in communities during the interim.
Merwil Gutierrez Flores's deportation to El Salvador's CECOT facility stems from serious weapons charges and alleged gang connections, contrary to initial media portrayals of his case.
The 19-year-old Venezuelan migrant faced multiple felony charges in New York before his March deportation, including possession of a loaded firearm near a school. His case highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement policies and media coverage while raising questions about the effectiveness of current asylum processing procedures.
