{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://barragan.house.gov/2023/12/20/barragan-kamlager-dove-padilla-butler-castro-and-kim-statement-on-release-of-eyvin-hernandez/", "Barrag\u00e1n, Kamlager-Dove, Padilla, Butler, Castro, and Kim Statement on Release of Eyvin Hernandez", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Nanette Diaz Barrag\u00e1n", "B001300", "barragan.house.gov", "barragan", "https://barragan.house.gov/news", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\n20 December 2023\n\nContact: Kevin McGuire, 202-538-2386 (mobile)\n\nKevin.McGuire@mail.house.gov\n\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, Representative Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (CA-44) joined colleagues Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Laphonza Butler (D-CA), and Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), and Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-40) in celebrating the release of fellow Angeleno Eyvin Hernandez, an LA County public defender and UCLA School of Law alum, who has been wrongfully detained in Venezuela since March 31, 2022.\n\n\u201cWhat wonderful news right before the holidays, to hear that Eyvin has been released from his wrongful detention in Venezuela and is on his way home to Los Angeles. This is a great day for Eyvin, his family and friends, and all of those who fought so hard for his release,\u201d said Rep. Nanette Barrag\u00e1n. \u201cEyvin should have never had to endure arrest and detention in Venezuela by Maduro\u2019s government agents. I am proud to have helped lead the calls for his release alongside Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and I am very happy that he will be able to spend the holidays where he belongs \u2013 at home with his family and friends. Thank you, President Biden for never forgetting about Eyvin and for your Administration\u2019s hard work to ensure the safe release of our fellow Angeleno.\u201d\n\nEyvin Hernandez is a dedicated public servant and a deeply beloved member of the community known for his devotion to justice, respect for humanity, and willingness to help others. For over a year, he was unjustly imprisoned in Venezuela. Congresswoman Barrag\u00e1n joined Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove to introduce a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in July of this year, and the State Department\u2019s Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs worked tirelessly to secure his release.\n\n\u201cIt is a miracle that Eyvin is back with his family and friends at last, and I know they are embracing him closely today,\u201d said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. \u201cThe Bring Eyvin Home Coalition\u2019s tireless work and the work of the State Department made it possible for this angel to make it safely back to the City of Angels. Just this month, I met with Eyvin\u2019s family to discuss his case, and I have been proud to make his release an important priority for my work on behalf of CA-37.\n\n\u201cEyvin has been wrongfully detained by the Venezuelan regime for more than a year \u2013 it\u2019s past time to bring Eyvin home. Thank you to the teams at the State Department Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and the National Security Council for making this a reality. This is indeed the best Christmas present we can ask for! I stand with his family and community who advocated for his return, and I look forward to learning more about the terms of the agreement,\u201d said Rep. Young Kim. \u201cI have been proud to work with Rep. Kamlager-Dove to demand his release and join Eyvin\u2019s family and friends in celebrating his return home.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank my House and Senate colleagues for their support of my legislation earlier this year, which helped draw much-needed attention to this case. I am overjoyed that this this beloved son, brother, uncle, has made a safe return and will continue to be here to support him as he recovers from his time in detainment.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter 21 months of wrongful detainment at the hands of the Maduro regime, Eyvin Hernandez is finally coming home. A public defender and a beloved member of his community, Eyvin\u2019s absence brought angst and fear to his loved ones for far too long,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cI am proud to have fought relentlessly alongside Eyvin\u2019s family, friends, federal lawmakers, and the State Department\u2019s Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs to secure his release. I am glad to see Eyvin finally released from his unjust imprisonment and headed home to Los Angeles.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted to hear that after nearly two years of being wrongfully detained in Venezuela, Eyvin Hernandez will finally be reunited with his family,\u201d said Senator Butler. \u201cA big thank you is owed to his family and friends, as well as my colleagues for the relentless pursuit of Eyvin\u2019s freedom.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday, Eyvin Hernandez, a beloved public defender who has long been a champion for vulnerable people, will be reunited with his loved ones after more than a year and a half of wrongful detainment,\u201d said Congressman Joaquin Castro. \u201cEyvin\u2019s family and friends worked tirelessly to advocate on his behalf, and I am proud to have stood with them, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove, and my other colleagues in the House and Senate to call for his release. I am also glad to hear that several other Americans have been released along with Venezuelan political prisoners. Every American deserves to travel abroad free from the fear of being wrongfully detained and used as a political pawn, and we must continue to do everything in our power to make sure every unjustly imprisoned American abroad can make their way home.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://barragan.house.gov/2023/12/20/barragan-kamlager-dove-padilla-butler-castro-and-kim-statement-on-release-of-eyvin-hernandez/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5710089355707169, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}