MA Student ICE Bond: Detention Reversed
- Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an 18-year-old high school junior in Milford, MA, is free after an immigration judge set his bond at $2,000.
- While that visa has lapsed, his legal team saeid he intends to seek asylum.
- According to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, agents were attempting to detain Gomes da Silva’s father during a traffic stop June 3, but rather detained the student, who...
After a controversial ICE arrest, Massachusetts student Marcelo Gomes da Silva is free on bond. An immigration judge reversed his detention, setting bail at $2,000, following the arrest on May 31. The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) decried the arrest as “cruel,” sparking a debate over the role of immigration enforcement, with Gov. Maura Healey also criticizing the action. Though ICE agents intended to detain his father, they arrested the 18-year-old Brazilian national. His release came after lawyers filed a petition, leading to a court order preventing his removal from Massachusetts. DHS contends ICE’s role is to enforce laws. News Directory 3 covered this breaking story. Now, Silva’s asylum case proceeds. discover what lies ahead for the student and the ongoing dialog around immigration policies.
Massachusetts Student Released on Bond After ICE Arrest
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an 18-year-old high school junior in Milford, MA, is free after an immigration judge set his bond at $2,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had arrested Gomes da Silva on May 31. Judge Jenny Beverly ordered his release Thursday.
Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national, entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2012. While that visa has lapsed, his legal team saeid he intends to seek asylum. The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) has criticized the arrest as “cruel.”
According to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, agents were attempting to detain Gomes da Silva’s father during a traffic stop June 3, but rather detained the student, who was driving the vehicle. The father was not arrested. The role of ICE in these situations continues to be debated, with some questioning the role of such enforcement actions.
Gov. Maura Healey expressed relief at Gomes da Silva’s release. “Marcelo never should have been arrested or detained, and it certainly did not make us safer,” Healey said. “It’s not okay that students across the state are fearful of going to school or sports practice, and that parents have to question whether thier children will come home at the end of the day.”
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that while ICE did not intend to arrest Gomes da Silva, he was found to be in the U.S. illegally and subject to removal proceedings. The role of the agency is to enforce immigration laws, she implied.
Following the arrest, lawyers filed a petition June 1 to block any transfer of the student. Judge George O’Toole issued an order June 2 preventing immigration authorities from removing Gomes da Silva from Massachusetts without 48 hours’ notice to the court.
“I’ll always remember this place,” Gomes da Silva told reporters after his release. “I’ll always remember how it was.”
“The arrest should never have occurred,” said Robin Nice, the student’s lawyer. “It was a waste of our judicial process.”
What’s next
Gomes da Silva’s asylum application will now proceed through the courts. The case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement policies in Massachusetts.