IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 578 
Calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a United States citizen 
and Los Angeles County public defender, who was wrongfully detained 
by the Venezuelan regime in March 2022. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 11, 2023 
Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE (for herself, Mrs. KIM of California, Mr. CASTRO of 
Texas, and Ms. BARRAGA´N) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Calling for the immediate release of Eyvin Hernandez, a 
United States citizen and Los Angeles County public 
defender, who was wrongfully detained by the Venezuelan 
regime in March 2022. 
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez has been a public defender for Los 
Angeles County since 2006, dedicating his career to rep-
resenting the most vulnerable people in the county; 
Whereas Eyvin is a man of impeccable character and a be-
loved member of his community, admired by many who 
know him for his deep devotion to justice, respect for hu-
manity, willingness to help others, patience, kindness, 
and intellect; 
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•HRES 578 IH 
Whereas Eyvin has volunteered his time to advocate for chil-
dren in the juvenile justice system, to mentor aspiring 
young lawyers through the Latina Lawyer Bar Associa-
tion and the University of California, Los Angeles 
(UCLA) Law Fellows Program, and participate in the 
Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Union, Local 148, 
where he previously served on the board of directors; 
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez is an alumnus of the UCLA 
School of Law, where he was associate editor for the 
Chicanx-Latinx Law Review, and of El Camino College, 
UCLA, where he majored in physics and mathematics; 
Whereas Eyvin’s family immigrated to the United States 
when he was a toddler, fleeing the civil war in El Sal-
vador and seeking a better life; 
Whereas, on March 31, 2022, Eyvin Hernandez was captured 
by armed, masked men in the vicinity of the Colombia- 
Venezuela border, and, once his United States citizenship 
was discovered, was transferred to Venezuela and de-
tained; 
Whereas the Venezuelan regime charged Eyvin with criminal 
association and conspiracy, which could lead to 16 years 
of imprisonment; 
Whereas there has been no serious effort to provide legiti-
mate evidence to corroborate these allegations nor to hold 
trial proceedings to adjudicate his case, highlighting the 
fabricated grounds for Eyvin’s detention; 
Whereas Eyvin was not included in the October 2022 pris-
oner exchange that allowed 7 Americans imprisoned in 
Venezuela to return home to the United States; 
Whereas the Department of State designated Eyvin Her-
nandez as wrongfully detained on October 21, 2022; 
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•HRES 578 IH 
Whereas the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs 
attempted to secure Eyvin’s release during his visit to 
Caracas in June 2023; 
Whereas, even in prison, Eyvin has served as an advocate for 
his fellow detained Americans, translating their needs to 
the guards in Spanish and helping them articulate their 
cases to Department of State officials; 
Whereas the Los Angeles County community, including 
Eyvin’s former mentees, colleagues, classmates, friends, 
and family, have created a coalition to advocate for his 
release, highlight the arbitrary and unjust nature of his 
detention, and continue fighting to bring him home; and 
Whereas Eyvin Hernandez is a valued citizen of the city of 
Los Angeles, the State of California, and the United 
States of America: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) calls on the Venezuelan regime to imme-
diately release Eyvin Hernandez from unjust impris-
onment; 
(2) urges all United States executive branch of-
ficials, including President Joseph R. Biden, Sec-
retary of State Antony Blinken, National Security 
Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Special Presidential 
Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, to con-
tinue raising the case of Eyvin Hernandez with the 
Venezuelan regime and pressing for his immediate 
release; 
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•HRES 578 IH 
(3) condemns the Venezuelan regime’s contin-
ued use of detentions of United States citizens and 
lawful permanent residents for political purposes; 
(4) expresses continued support for all Amer-
ican citizens and lawful permanent residents wrong-
fully detained in Venezuela, along with all other 
American citizens and lawful permanent residents 
wrongfully detained abroad; and 
(5) expresses solidarity with and sympathy for 
Eyvin Hernandez, his friends and family, and those 
advocating for his immediate release, for the per-
sonal hardship experienced as a result of the arbi-
trary and baseless detention of their loved one. 
Æ 
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