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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers briefly detained an American citizen outside of the Cambridge District Court in Medford on Friday after allegedly confusing him with an undocumented immigrant, the latest in a string of immigration-related arrests across the state.
Four plainclothes officers approached 31-year-old Hugo Monteiro, a naturalized American citizen originally from Brazil, around 9:15 a.m. as he was leaving the courthouse.
“I just came here to bring a client for a hearing. And when I came out, they took me, but again, I was not expecting this at all,” Monteiro said after being released. “I’m still shaking.”
The officers then escorted him to a Jeep Cherokee and placed him in handcuffs. Officials for ICE declined to comment on the arrest.
“They were threatening me. But again, I was calm because I knew I didn’t do anything wrong,” Monteiro said.
“They were just, like, telling me I was under arrest, that I was in trouble,” Monteiro added. “I was confused.”
Monteiro said that after the officers detained him, they stopped to confirm they arrested the correct individual.
“They pulled over in the parking lot. They explained to me they wanted to make sure they had the correct person,” he said. “I showed them my ID, my passport and my picture, and they confirmed that it was not me.”
After realizing their mistake, officers returned Monteiro to the courthouse just after 9:30 a.m.
Monteiro’s arrest comes amid increased reports of ICE arrests across the state.
An ICE arrest of a woman in Worcester last week descended into chaos as a crowd began to protest the action, leading to the arrest by police of two protesters. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley later issued a pointed statement denouncing “interference” with immigration agents.
Several teenagers have also been detained by ICE in Chelsea, including a student at Chelsea High School on Wednesday.
Nationwide, ICE agents have made at least 12 arrests at courthouses since January. Though a Biden administration policy prevented ICE from making “routine arrests” at courthouses, the move was reversed within days of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The Trump administration’s policy advises that ICE arrests at courthouses should “be conducted in collaboration with court security staff, and use the court building’s non-public entrances and exits.”
Security for the Cambridge District Court was not aware of Monteiro’s arrest, which took place on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse.
Monteiro said that the officers who detained him confirmed they previously arrested individuals near the Medford courthouse.
“I think they told me like they picked up like three people over here,” he said.
Despite the mistake, Monteiro said he recognized the officers were “doing their job” and ultimately supported their efforts.
“Unfortunately, they called the wrong person, but I still support whatever they’re doing,” Monteiro said. “I voted for Trump. There are a lot of bad people in this country, to be honest with you, don’t deserve to be here.”
“No hard feelings,” he added.
—Associate Managing Editor Sally E. Edwards contributed reporting.
—Staff writer Matan H. Josephy can be reached matan.josephy@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @matanjosephy.
—Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart.
