ICE-Detained Milford Student To Be Rep. Moulton's State Of The Union Guest

SALEM, MA — Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the Milford High volleyball player who immigration officials detained while on his way to practice last May and who then spent a week at the ICE field office in Burlington, will be U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton's guest at President Donald Trump's State of the Union address next week.

Moulton said he invited the 18-year-old to be his guest because "his story captures what's broken in our immigration system right now."

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"The outpouring of support that Marcelo received following his detainment wasn't an accident," Moulton said in announcing the invitation on Thursday. "It happened because people know the kind of person that Marcelo is. He is exactly the kind of young person America should be investing in, not locking up.

"If we want to call ourselves a nation of opportunity, we should start by uplifting young people like Marcelo.”

The student was driving his father's car to practice when he was stopped by immigration agents who were seeking the father. Upon discovering that the student's visa had expired, he was arrested and taken to the Burlington facility.

"I didn't say (Marcelo Gomes) was dangerous," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons said at the time. "I said he was in this country illegally. And we're not going to walk away from anybody."

Boston ICE Director Patricia Hyde said that while the high school junior was not the target of the traffic stop, he was arrested because "he's 18 years old" and "he's unlawfully in this country."

Moulton said that during his detention, the student was "denied basic necessities, including access to a shower and a bed to sleep in."

An immigration judge later granted him a $2,000 bond after determining he was not a danger to the community.

The Burlington ICE facility has been the target of ongoing protests from those opposed to immigration enforcement tactics and operations across the country in recent months.

Since his experience inside the detention facility, Gomes da Silva has committed to being "a voice for all immigrants who have been unfairly detained."

"As an immigrant, being invited to the State of the Union is deeply meaningful," Gomes da Silva said. "I'm proud to represent the strength, faith, and hard work of my community."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)