CHELSEA, Mass. — The brother of a 28-year-old man who was detained by ICE agents in Chelsea at the beginning of his workday is consumed with questions.
Derick Morales told Boston 25 News his older brother Ivan has legal work documents, has lived in the United States for more than five years, and works more than 40 hours a week to support his wife and two kids.
Video captured by a neighbor on Tuesday showed federal authorities stopping the van of a local painting company near Chestnut and Third Streets.
The owner said agents detained his three workers after asking for their paperwork and learning they were undocumented.
“There’s really no motive for him to get captured since he has no criminal record,” said Morales. “I’m pretty sure it’s a terrifying experience he’s going through at the moment.”
Morales now worried his brother could be deported to El Salvador, leaving his four and six-year-old kids without a father.
“This is very traumatic for most families,” said Morales. “I’m worried. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see my brother again.”
Boston 25 News learned of more reported ICE activity in Chelsea and East Boston on Wednesday from witnesses.
It’s unclear how many arrests have been made this week since Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not comment on on-going operations.
The visible ICE activity across the Boston area coincided with the 29th annual Immigrants Day that was recognized in Boston.
Hundreds gathered at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday morning to commemorate the occasion and urge lawmakers to strengthen state-level protections for immigrants.
“In an instant, our family was torn apart,” said Suyanne Amaral of Malborough. “Our toddler, too young to understand, cried for her father night after night, asking when he would come home.”
Amaral spoke to the crowd alongside her husband, Brazilian native, Lucas Dos Santos Amaral, and their daughter after he was detained by ICE during a traffic stop.
He was shuffled from jail to jail before being flown to an ICE detention center at the Texas border where he was held for nearly a month.
“How you explain to a child that her father is gone, not because he did something wrong, but because of a system that refuses to recognize his humanity,” said Amaral.
That father was reunited with his family in Marlborough after being granted release on bond.
His wife believes ICE mistook him for another man but still detained him when they discovered he had an expired visa.
Advocates point out that’s a civil offense, not a criminal one.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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