Venezuelan Man Sues DHS for Deportation Ordeal

0:00It's March 26th. Welcome to Kansas News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. A 28-year-old Venezuelan man named Nyer Ver Adrian Leon Rengel has reunited with his six-year-old daughter Isabella and Caracas after a rough ordeal. He is now suing the Department of Homeland Security, claiming they violated his due process rights by detaining him, wrongly labeling him a gang, member, and deporting him to a notorious prison in El Salvador. He entered the United States legally in June 2023 through a border appointment system and was awaiting an immigration hearing while, applying for protected status. But on March 13th, 2025, his 27th birthday agents arrested him in Texas based on his tattoos, which they linked to a Venezuelan gang. Back home, life has been tough for him. He struggles to find steady work, now cutting hair at home for just $8 a cut, down from $6,000 a month in the U.S.

1:00That income drop makes it hard to support his family, including his young daughter. In late March 2026, he filed a detailed federal lawsuit in Washington, DC, accusing officials of false imprisonment, negligence, and emotional distress during his four months in the Harsh El Salvador facility. He was one of 252 Venezuelan's sent there and released in a July 2025 prisoner swap. His case highlights risks for migrants and seeks at least $1.3 million in damages. Leon Rangel just wants his name cleared so he can move forward without the stigma.