Massachusetts Student Marcelo Gomes Da Silva Detained by ICE, Triggers High School Walkouts.

Massachusetts High School Student Detained by ICE, Sparking Protests

Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, an 18-year-old junior at Milford High School in Massachusetts, was detained by federal immigration agents on May 31 while driving his father’s car to volleyball practice. The detention occurred because ICE was actually targeting his father, who is in the country illegally, but mistakenly arrested Marcelo instead.

Marcelo, who came to the U.S. legally in 2012 on a visitor visa that later became a student visa, has no criminal record. He is actively involved in school activities, including the marching and church bands, and is well-regarded in his community. He was scheduled to perform at his school’s June 1 graduation ceremony.

The detention led to widespread outrage at Milford High, with students staging walkouts and rallies, carrying signs and Brazilian flags, and demanding Marcelo’s release. At the graduation ceremony, Principal Joshua Otlin expressed the community’s pain and fear, highlighting the contrast between the day’s usual joy and the current distress.

Marcelo’s lawyers are seeking his release on bond and plan to file for asylum. On June 1, a federal judge issued an emergency order preventing ICE from transferring him out of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours.

ICE officials say their original target was Marcelo’s father, who was stopped for reckless driving and speeding. ICE criticized local agencies for not cooperating with their efforts.

Massachusetts Teen Detained Amid Widespread Immigration Operation, Drawing Strong Backlash

Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, an 18-year-old Milford High School student, remains in ICE custody following his detention during “Operation Patriot,” a state-wide crackdown that arrested 1,500 individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.

ICE officials stated the agency was targeting Marcelo’s father, who has not yet turned himself in, but arrested Marcelo after stopping him driving his father’s car. Patricia Hyde, acting director of ICE Enforcement in Boston, emphasized that ICE will arrest anyone found unlawfully present during such operations.

The detention has ignited outrage across Massachusetts. U.S. Senator Ed Markey criticized the arrest as “cruelty and fear engendered by the Trump administration,” while Governor Maura Healey called the arrest “outraged,” demanding transparency from ICE about Marcelo’s status and due process protections.

Locally, Nick Molinari, president of the Milford Teachers Association, condemned the ICE action as a “deliberate act of cruelty,” stressing it traumatizes students and families, and called for universal condemnation.

Supporters gathered in Milford waving Brazilian flags and holding rallies to demand Marcelo’s release, underscoring the community’s distress over the student’s detention during a time meant for celebration.