Introduction to the Issue
A South Florida tattoo artist said he’s seen an increase in customers wanting to cover their tattoos that could be associated with gangs amid the Trump administration deportations.
Court filings show the government used an immigration scorecard for Venezuelan deportations and relied on social media and tattoos.
The Reason Behind the Trend
Tattoos that have common images like a crown or a rose. "But it is my responsibility as a tattoo artist to tell you that people have been targeted, that it’s real, it’s happening, it’s happening and it’s maybe not the best time," Diego Vega said.
The Artist’s Experience
Vega is a tattoo artist in Doral, a city with a high concentration of Venezuelans. He said he’s recently seen clients coming in wanting to cover or remove certain tattoos in light of the current immigration climate. "I remember having a father that wanted to do a family tattoo," he said. "He did his wife’s name and then his daughter and then his son, and then his wife and his daughter, her daughter’s name on top of it, he did a little crown because he used to say that was his queen and his princess."
The Gang Connection
Vega considers a crown a pretty innocent tattoo but it can also be associated with the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The Trump administration is targeting those gang members as part of his immigration crackdown. Recently, nearly 200 migrants were deported to El Salvador. Since then, Vega said that the father who got the crown tattoo came back to take it off.
Fear of Deportation
"Like they did that crown to represent the family and he came to cover up because his father was super paranoid and he, they were just afraid," he said. "They just didn’t want to have that. They didn’t want any trouble, so they had a cover." Other common images associated with the gang are roses, stars, and trains. "Wouldn’t get a train right now but the roses the stars, they are pretty common tattoos," he said. "You know people are starting to become fearful about getting those types of elements started."
Conclusion
The trend of covering up tattoos associated with gangs is a result of the fear of deportation and targeting by the Trump administration. As the immigration climate continues to be uncertain, it is likely that this trend will continue. Tattoo artists like Vega are seeing an increase in clients wanting to cover or remove certain tattoos, and it is essential to be aware of the potential consequences of having such tattoos.
FAQs
Q: Why are people covering up their tattoos?
A: People are covering up their tattoos because they are associated with gangs and they fear being targeted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Q: What types of tattoos are being covered up?
A: Tattoos with common images like crowns, roses, stars, and trains are being covered up because they are associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Q: Is it true that the government is using social media and tattoos to deport people?
A: Yes, court filings show that the government used an immigration scorecard for Venezuelan deportations and relied on social media and tattoos.
Q: How many migrants were recently deported to El Salvador?
A: Nearly 200 migrants were recently deported to El Salvador.
Q: What is the advice of tattoo artist Diego Vega?
A: Vega advises people to be aware of the potential consequences of having tattoos associated with gangs and to consider covering them up to avoid trouble.
