Houston attorneys say Venezuelan refugee disappeared from ICE custody in March

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two Houston attorneys are fighting against the U.S. government to find out where a Venezuelan refugee was taken after disappearing from ICE custody in March.

Now, a federal judge is demanding that the U.S. government, including ICE and Homeland Security, confirm the whereabouts of Widmer Agelviz-Sanguino and restore attorney-client communication.

Attorneys representing Sanguino tell ABC13 that he, his two younger brothers, and his mom came from Ecuador to Houston in September. They say that's when Agelviz-Sanguino was detained as the government accused him of having ties with the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua.

His attorney tells ABC13 he was taken to the Montgomery County ICE processing Center.

"Just the ability to speak to him would go a long way for us," said his attorney, Javier Rivera.

Attorney Javier Rivera filed a lawsuit earlier this month detailing that he believed his client, Widmer Agelviz-Sanguino, was removed unlawfully by the U.S. in disregard for due process.

"Widmer and his family were referred to refugee resettlement in the United States through a UN program after being identified in Ecuador and were vetted and granted permission to come to the United States," Rivera said.

Attorneys tell ABC13 that Sanguino, his two younger siblings, and his mom flew into Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in September to start a new life.

"After being invited, after being provided travel documents to come to the United States, he was arrested at the airport and told he was a gang member and we're going to deport you back to the place you fear most," Rivera said.

Rivera says border agents questioned Sanguino about his arm tattoo of a rose, owl, and clock.

"They use tattoos as their end-all be-all for membership in this gang," Rivera said.

Sanguino's attorneys claim the tattoos all have special meanings to him. Rivera says the rose was a nod to Sanguino's grandmother, who loved her rose bush garden. They say the owl and clock represent the area he grew up in, which had owls that would always come in the middle of the night.

Attorneys say Sanguino was immediately taken into ICE custody from the airport.

They say a few weeks later, Sanguino tried to file for asylum since the government told him he was no longer able to take part in the refugee resettlement program.

In March, days before a decision was supposed to come down on his case, his attorneys tell ABC13 they believe he was taken from the ICE facility in Montgomery County, and later deported on a flight to El Salvador to a prison called CECOT. No one has heard from Sanguino since. Eyewitness News was recently told that his family and legal team saw his name detailed in a list of people deported to CECOT from a media report.

"No criminal history. He has never been charged of any crimes either in Venezuela, Ecuador, or anywhere in the world," Angel Rivera, another attorney representing Sanguino, said.

Angel Rivera says he last heard from him on March 10 or 11. He tells us Sanguino sounded scared on that call.

He says the flight to CECOT was a few days later.

It's now May. Sanguino's family and attorneys believe he's in CECOT only because of media reports, but to this day, no one has heard from him. They say they haven't been told exactly where he is or how he's doing.

It's what the Riveras are trying to get to the bottom of.

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