A Milford teenager was briefly detained by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and later released after a crowd grew larger around them.
Video footage captured the incident, which took place on Main Street and involved a car stopped by ICE agents. In the first four minutes, officials were seen conducting a traffic stop on a white Sedan at around 4:38 p.m.
ICE Agents Briefly Detain Milford Teenager
After that, a crowd of people quickly gathered on the sidewalk near the ICE agents and the vehicle with the teenager. Shortly before 5:00 p.m., the Milford Police Department received a call from Homeland Security Investigations asking for help to manage the crowd, spokesperson Jason Covino said.
Nearly four minutes into the footage, officers were seen talking with some people in the crowd, which had grown even larger. There was no physical contact made with officers or the ICE agents at the scene, according to Mass Live.
At around 5:23 p.m., the ICE agents simply left without taking the teenager in the car with them, Covino said. The police department also never got a call from ICE regarding the operation beforehand.
The incident was followed by a rally against ICE and the operation, as the government is stepping up enforcement efforts in Massachusetts. The effort goes by the name "Operation Patriot 2.0," which is a continuation of ICE's previous large-scale "Operation Patriot," conducted in May.
The teenager who was briefly detained by ICE agents in Milford was later identified as 16-year-old Gustavo Oliveira, who attends the local Milford High School. After the incident, he met with immigration officials in Burlington, WCVB reported.
Ongoing Enforcement Efforts
The minor's attorney is now questioning ICE's method and said that she has not been told why her client was even detained to begin with. Jill Seeber also questioned when the agency will stop torturing the teen and his family.
The attorney noted that the Oliveira family is currently seeking asylum in the United States and has been following all legal procedures. Now, ICE is requesting to have a meeting with the 16-year-old's parents on Tuesday.
The teen's father, Itamar De Oliveira, also said that his family now fears ICE could be targeting them, noting the summons they received after the traffic stop incident. Milford Police Chief Robert Tusino added that while ICE has been active in Milford, the agency has not been very communicative with them, as per NBC Boston.
