Overview

• Marcelo Gomes Da Silva was pulled over by ICE agents on May 31 while driving to volleyball practice and arrested without warning
• He spent six days in an overcrowded ICE facility sharing a cell with at least 30 men, an open toilet, aluminum blankets and no regular access to showers or sunlight
• ICE cited alleged reckless driving in the family vehicle as the basis for the stop, a claim Gomes Da Silva strongly disputes given residential speed limits
• He was released on a $2,000 bond on June 5 and has since been under the protection of the Milford Police Department
• The 17-year-old plans to apply for asylum to legalize his status as community advocates call for clearer immigration pathways