Latest news with #MilfordPublicHighSchool
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Massachusetts high schooler detained by ICE speaks out following release
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the 18-year-old Massachusetts high school student who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on his way to volleyball practice last week, said following his release that he wants to help those still detained in the facility where he was held for nearly a week. "I would have to watch people cry, people with kids," the teen said during a press briefing in Burlington, Massachusetts, on Thursday after a judge granted him bond. "No one deserves to be down there." Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national who is a junior at Milford Public High School, was arrested on Saturday, according to a court filing from his attorney. He said he wasn't able to shower for six days and would sleep on a concrete floor while being held at a facility in Burlington. The teen said he would share his limited food with the other men detained and often acted as their translator because he speaks English, Portuguese and Spanish. "At the end of the day, this place -- it's not a good spot to be," he said. Gomes da Silva said he would pray and talk to the other inmates about the Bible. "The only thing I could do is thank God every day," he said. MORE: Massachusetts high schooler detained by ICE on way to volleyball practice granted bond by judge Gomes da Silva's arrest sparked an outcry from Massachusetts officials and the Milford community where he has lived since he came to the United States in 2012 at the age of 6. He said he never saw the public support while he was detained and is grateful for it. "We don't have TVs in there," he said. "We don't get to see the daylight." Gomes da Silva, who was driving his father's car at the time of his arrest, was pulled over and detained even though the father was the target of the operation. The father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira, was sought because he "has a habit of reckless driving" at speeds over 100 mph, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He has not been detained. "I heard a lot of people talk bad about my dad, but if you want to talk bad about my dad, then you have to talk bad about me, because he raised me," Gomes da Silva said. "He doesn't deserve any hate, because I was raised from him." Gomes da Silva said his dad would cry on their calls and "has never done anything wrong." "I don't want anyone to touch my dad," he said. "My dad's everything to me," he added. Gomes da Silva was granted $2,000 bond on Thursday after an immigration judge found he is not a danger to the community. Following his release, he said he went to McDonald's and had French fries, chicken nuggets and a Coke. He said he was looking forward to hugging his parents, sister, brother and dog, a mini-poodle. He was greeted by his siblings, parents and classmates once he returned home Thursday evening. Gomes da Silva said he's "optimistic" about his future and wants to help the other men detained. "My dad always taught me to be humble and to put other people first," he said. "I want to do whatever I can to get them as much help as possible." MORE: Family members of Massachusetts teen detained by ICE plead for his release Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton said he and fellow Rep. Jake Auchincloss planned to inspect the Burlington facility where the teen was held. "This administration is not keeping us safe by keeping 18-year-old honor students in prison," Moulton said at the press briefing. "What we see here today -- it's not American. It doesn't represent our values." Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who had called for the teen's release following his arrest, said in a statement that she is "relieved that Marcelo will be returning home to his parents, siblings, classmates and the Milford community." "Marcelo never should have been arrested or detained, and it certainly did not make us safer," she 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 their children will come home at the end of the day. In Massachusetts, we are going to keep speaking out for what's right and supporting one another in our communities." Gomes da Silva entered the U.S. in 2012 and was on a student visa that has since lapsed, according to his attorney. He has no criminal history and is "eligible for and intends to apply for asylum," his attorney stated in a habeas corpus petition filed Sunday seeking his release. A federal judge issued an emergency order Sunday afternoon directing the government not to remove Gomes da Silva from the U.S. or to transfer him out of the judicial district of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours. On Monday, a federal judge ordered that the government not transfer the teen out of Massachusetts without first providing the court at least 48 hours' advance notice of and reasons for the move. The government was given 14 days to respond. ICE officials defended the arrest during a briefing on Monday. "When we go out into the community and we find others who are unlawfully here, we are going to arrest them," ICE acting Field Director Patricia Hyde said at a press briefing on Monday. "We've been completely transparent with that. He's 18 years old. He's unlawfully in this country."
4 days ago
Massachusetts high schooler detained by ICE on way to volleyball practice speaks out following release
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the 18-year-old Massachusetts high school student who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on his way to volleyball practice last week, said following his release that he wants to help those still detained in the facility where he was held for nearly a week. "I would have to watch people cry, people with kids," the teen said during a press briefing in Burlington, Massachusetts, on Thursday after a judge granted him bond. "No one deserves to be down there." Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national who is a junior at Milford Public High School, was arrested on Saturday, according to a court filing from his attorney. He said he wasn't able to shower for six days and would sleep on a concrete floor while being held at a facility in Burlington. The teen said he would share his limited food with the other men detained and often acted as their translator because he speaks English, Portuguese and Spanish. "At the end of the day, this place -- it's not a good spot to be," he said. Gomes da Silva said he would pray and talk to the other inmates about the Bible. "The only thing I could do is thank God every day," he said. Gomes da Silva's arrest sparked an outcry from Massachusetts officials and the Milford community where he has lived since he came to the United States in 2012 at the age of 6. He said he never saw the public support while he was detained and is grateful for it. "We don't have TVs in there," he said. "We don't get to see the daylight." Gomes da Silva, who was driving his father's car at the time of his arrest, was pulled over and detained even though the father was the target of the operation. The father, Joao Paulo Gomes-Pereira, was sought because he "has a habit of reckless driving" at speeds over 100 mph, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He has not been detained. "I heard a lot of people talk bad about my dad, but if you want to talk bad about my dad, then you have to talk bad about me, because he raised me," Gomes da Silva said. "He doesn't deserve any hate, because I was raised from him." Gomes da Silva said his dad would cry on their calls and "has never done anything wrong." "I don't want anyone to touch my dad," he said. "My dad's everything to me," he added. Gomes da Silva was granted $2,000 bond on Thursday after an immigration judge found he is not a danger to the community. Following his release, he said he went to McDonald's and had French fries, chicken nuggets and a Coke. He said he was looking forward to hugging his parents, sister, brother and dog, a mini-poodle. He was greeted by his siblings, parents and classmates once he returned home Thursday evening. Gomes da Silva said he's "optimistic" about his future and wants to help the other men detained. "My dad always taught me to be humble and to put other people first," he said. "I want to do whatever I can to get them as much help as possible." Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton said he and fellow Rep. Jake Auchincloss planned to inspect the Burlington facility where the teen was held. "This administration is not keeping us safe by keeping 18-year-old honor students in prison," Moulton said at the press briefing. "What we see here today -- it's not American. It doesn't represent our values." Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who had called for the teen's release following his arrest, said in a statement that she is "relieved that Marcelo will be returning home to his parents, siblings, classmates and the Milford community." "Marcelo never should have been arrested or detained, and it certainly did not make us safer," she 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 their children will come home at the end of the day. In Massachusetts, we are going to keep speaking out for what's right and supporting one another in our communities." Gomes da Silva entered the U.S. in 2012 and was on a student visa that has since lapsed, according to his attorney. He has no criminal history and is "eligible for and intends to apply for asylum," his attorney stated in a habeas corpus petition filed Sunday seeking his release. A federal judge issued an emergency order Sunday afternoon directing the government not to remove Gomes da Silva from the U.S. or to transfer him out of the judicial district of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours. On Monday, a federal judge ordered that the government not transfer the teen out of Massachusetts without first providing the court at least 48 hours' advance notice of and reasons for the move. The government was given 14 days to respond. ICE officials defended the arrest during a briefing on Monday. "When we go out into the community and we find others who are unlawfully here, we are going to arrest them," ICE acting Field Director Patricia Hyde said at a press briefing on Monday. "We've been completely transparent with that. He's 18 years old. He's unlawfully in this country."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Massachusetts high schooler detained by ICE granted bond by judge
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the 18-year-old Massachusetts high school student who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on his way to volleyball practice last week, was granted bond on Thursday after a judge found he is not a danger to the community. Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national who is a junior at Milford Public High School, was arrested on Saturday, according to a court filing from his attorney. Gomes da Silva, who was driving his father's car, was pulled over and detained even though the father was the target of the operation. During Gomes da Silva's immigration hearing, a judge said that while she found the government had not met their burden by demonstrating Gomes is a danger to the community, she said the 18-year-old "may have a slight flight risk." "For that reason, the court will grant a $2,000 bond," the immigration judge said. MORE: Trump administration, for 1st time, returns wrongly deported migrant to US Robin Nice, the attorney representing Gomes da Silva, said her client was being held in "awful conditions" at a holding facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts. "He's been sleeping on a cement floor, he was sick, he had no bed," Nice said. Before the judge granted bond, the attorney said Gomes da Silva has no criminal record and is "as clean as a whistle." "He's an upstanding member of the society, we have people with luminous community letters of support in terms of his character from everyone," Nice said.
5 days ago
Massachusetts high schooler detained by ICE granted bond by judge
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the 18-year-old Massachusetts high school student who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on his way to volleyball practice last week, was granted bond on Thursday after a judge found he is not a danger to the community. Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national who is a junior at Milford Public High School, was arrested on Saturday, according to a court filing from his attorney. Gomes da Silva, who was driving his father's car, was pulled over and detained even though the father was the target of the operation. During Gomes da Silva's immigration hearing, a judge said that while she found the government had not met their burden by demonstrating Gomes is a danger to the community, she said the 18-year-old "may have a slight flight risk." "For that reason, the court will grant a $2,000 bond," the immigration judge said. Robin Nice, the attorney representing Gomes da Silva, said her client was being held in "awful conditions" at a holding facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts. "He's been sleeping on a cement floor, he was sick, he had no bed," Nice said. Before the judge granted bond, the attorney said Gomes da Silva has no criminal record and is "as clean as a whistle." "He's an upstanding member of the society, we have people with luminous community letters of support in terms of his character from everyone," Nice said.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Family members of Massachusetts teen detained by ICE plead for his release
The family of an 18-year-old Massachusetts high school student who state officials say was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while on his way to volleyball practice pleaded for his release on Wednesday. Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a Brazilian national who is a junior at Milford Public High School, was arrested on Saturday, according to a court filing from his attorney. In a video released by his attorney on Wednesday, filmed in the teen's bedroom, his mother, father and two younger siblings said they miss Gomes da Silva and asked ICE to release him. "I love you, my son," his father, Joao Paulo Gomes Pereira, said in the video. "We need Marcelo back home. It's no family without him." "We love America. Please bring my son back," he added. Gomes da Silva's brother said he wants to give the teen "a really big hug," while his sister said she misses "everything about him," including when he would make her ramen and chicken nuggets. "I just really miss him and I hope he comes back soon," she said. A drum set could be seen in the room of the teen, who is a member of the high school band and plays drums for his girlfriend's church. MORE: Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention Gomes da Silva was not the target of the operation, ICE officials said. Rather, his father was sought because he "has a habit of reckless driving" at speeds over 100 mph, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Agents made a traffic stop on the father's vehicle, which Gomes da Silva was driving at the time of his arrest, according to acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. "When we go out into the community and we find others who are unlawfully here, we are going to arrest them," ICE acting Field Director Patricia Hyde said at a press briefing on Monday. "We've been completely transparent with that. He's 18 years old. He's unlawfully in this country." Gomes da Silva entered the U.S. in 2012 and was on a student visa that has since lapsed, according to his attorney. He has no criminal history and is "eligible for and intends to apply for asylum," his attorney stated in a habeas corpus petition filed Sunday seeking his release. A federal judge issued an emergency order Sunday afternoon directing the government not to remove Gomes da Silva from the U.S. or to transfer him out of the judicial district of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours. On Monday, a federal judge ordered that the government not transfer the teen out of Massachusetts without first providing the court at least 48 hours' advance notice of and reasons for the move. The government was given 14 days to respond. MORE: Protests erupt after Massachusetts high school student detained by ICE The ICE detainee locator website lists Gomes da Silva as being in custody, but does not list where he is being held. His habeas petition indicates "on information and belief" that ICE is detaining him at a field office in Burlington, Massachusetts. Protests over the teen's detainment broke out this week in front of the Milford Town Hall and the Milford Public High School, with demonstrators holding signs that said "Free Marcelo." Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said she is "demanding immediate answers from ICE" about the teen's arrest, where he is being held and "how his due process is being protected." She said Gomes da Silva has lived in Milford since he was 5 years old and described him as a "star student." "Marcelo belongs in school, not in a detention center. He belongs with his friends, his teammates," she said in a video released on social media Tuesday. "I stand with the Milford community in calling for Marcelo's release."
