18-year-old Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a lifelong Milford student, was detained by ICE amid an immigration sweep.
The arrest of Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, an 18-year-old high school junior in Milford, Massachusetts, has sent shock waves through the community. Known as an athlete, musician, and outstanding student, Marcelo was taken into immigration custody by ICE on the morning of his school’s graduation weekend.
Marcelo was driving his father’s car to volleyball practice when immigration agents stopped him. Their original target was his father, who is unlawfully present in the US. However, upon discovering Marcelo himself also lacked legal status, ICE officers arrested him, according to Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Born in Brazil, Marcelo has been part of the Milford community since the age of six, attending local public schools. Friends and classmates described him as a bright, warm-hearted young man with an infectious smile.
Despite not being the intended target of the enforcement operation, Marcelo’s arrest came during a month-long ICE crackdown across Massachusetts that has already led to nearly 1,500 immigrants being detained. Patricia H. Hyde, Boston’s ICE Field Officer, stressed that the agency will arrest anyone found to be unlawfully present, stating, “When we go out into the community and we find others who are unlawfully here, we are going to arrest them. We’ve been completely transparent with that.”
The news of Marcelo’s detention quickly spread, sparking grief and anger throughout Milford. His volleyball coach recalled receiving a shocked message from a teammate who witnessed the arrest. “I was sitting there thinking, ‘This can’t be happening,’” Andrew Mainini told NBC Boston. “It’s one thing to see things happening in the world. It’s another to have them directly impact the people you work with and care for on a daily basis.”
Marcelo was meant to play drums at his girlfriend Julianys Rentas Figueroa’s graduation ceremony. His absence was deeply felt as his bandmates performed without him, inspiring a protest where hundreds of students, teachers, and community members marched to Milford Town Hall. Demonstrators held signs and chanted “Free Marcelo,” demanding his release.
Julianys, still in her graduation gown, shared her heartbreak and worry. After speaking to Marcelo by phone, she said immigration officers had shackled him with chains on his wrists and ankles. “I don’t understand why Marcelo was targeted. He’s been in Milford all his life,” she said, expressing concern for his wellbeing.
Marcelo has since been transferred between detention centres in Massachusetts, raising fears he could be moved out of state. Local immigration advocates, including Diego Low of the Metrowest Worker Center, are working with attorneys to prevent further transfers and support Marcelo and his family.
The emotional impact of the arrest extends to Marcelo’s younger siblings, who are uncertain if they will see him again, his cousin Ana Julia Araujo said.
Milford police confirmed they had no involvement in the arrest and had not been notified by ICE. Police Chief Robert Tusino remarked, “Marcelo is somebody that we don’t know. If my officers don’t know you, there’s a reason. It’s because you’re probably not a troublemaker.”
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey condemned the detention as “disturbing and outrageous,” warning such arrests undermine community safety. “These actions are making us all less safe,” she said.
The protest underscored the deep sense of injustice felt by many in Milford, particularly on such a significant day as graduation. One of Marcelo’s friends expressed dismay at having to witness the detention of a close companion on what should have been a joyful occasion.
Marcelo Gomes Da Silva’s case highlights the human toll of immigration enforcement policies that sweep through communities, disrupting families and raising urgent questions about fairness, safety, and belonging.
