Students at Milford High School in Massachusetts staged a walkout on Monday to support classmate Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the weekend. The 18-year-old Brazilian national was on his way to volleyball practice when agents pulled him over while searching for his father.
Gomes Da Silva entered the US on a student visa in 2012, which has since lapsed, according to a court filing. His lawyer argues he is eligible for asylum and has no criminal record. He is being held at ICE's Boston field office, and his attorney has filed a petition seeking his release, calling the detention unlawful.
The walkout saw students holding signs and wearing T-shirts reading 'Free Marcelo'. The Massachusetts Teachers Association condemned ICE's actions as 'cruel' and 'inhumane', praising students for their leadership. The previous day, hundreds of community members marched to Milford town hall to protest his detention.
A judge has ordered that Gomes Da Silva not be transferred out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice while the court considers his lawsuit. ICE acting director Todd Lyons defended the arrest, stating that Gomes Da Silva was in the country illegally and that agents enforce all immigration laws. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she was 'disturbed and outraged' by the arrest.
