US Rep. Seth Moulton Accuses Homeland Security Of 'Terrorizing Young People' After Social Media Post

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) accused the Department of Homeland Security of aiming to "terrorize young people trying to build a future in this country" after his office said a DHS social media post targeting Marcelo Gomes da Silva's guest appearance at the State of the Union address led to the former ICE detainee from Milford being removed from the House gallery during President Donald Trump's address.

Moulton's office cited the DHS post on X/Twitter at 8:24 p.m. on Tuesday, noting the Milford student's presence at the State of the Union, and stating that he has "no right to be in our nation."

• ICE-Detained Milford Student To Be Rep. Moulton's State Of The Union Guest
• 'Traumatic Time': Immigration Judge Orders MA High School Student's Release On Bond
• ICE Officials Defend MA High School Student Arrest Amid Growing Outcry, Protests
• Milford, Massachusetts High School Student Detained By ICE Was "Targeted," Girlfriend Says

"We are committed to enforcing the law and fighting for the arrest, detention and removal of aliens like him," DHS said in its post.

Moulton responded, saying that Gomes da Silva was removed by staff members at 9:45 p.m. during the speech after the "targeting and harassing" post, and watched the remainder of the address from Moulton's office.

"Marcelo has been in the U.S. since he was 6 years old," Moulton said in a statement. "Zero criminal record. You're not making anyone safer by targeting him. You're just proving how far you'll go to terrorize young people trying to build a future in this country."

Moulton said Gomes da Silva is "safe and has continued to meet with elected officials, advocates, and other experts on Capitol Hill ... to share his story."

Gomes da Silva was detained while on his way to high school volleyball practice last May and then spent a week at the ICE field office in Burlington.

ICE Officials said agents pulled over the car the student was driving, which was registered to his father, in search of his father, who is in the country illegally, but then detained Gomes da Silva upon discovering that his student visa had expired.

"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 then-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."

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

Moulton, who is running for U.S. Senate, invited the student as his guest at the State of the Union address.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, who Moulton is challenging in the Democratic primary, boycotted Trump's address, which he later called "lies-a-palooza."

“We are living in a critical moment, and we must fight back," Markey said. "Trump wants to scare us into submission, but when he rolls back our rights, we roll up our sleeves.

“We must defund and abolish ICE and get ICE out of our cities."