Harvard Law School professor Carlos Portugal Gouvea was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his visa was revoked due to an incident outside a synagogue in October. The Department of Homeland Security announced the arrest on December 3.
Gouvea, a Brazilian citizen, fired a BB gun near a synagogue on October 2, the day before Yom Kippur. He told authorities he was “hunting rats.” His temporary non-immigrant (J-1) visa was revoked by the Department of State on October 16.
On November 13, Gouvea accepted a plea deal for illegal use of the air rifle. Other charges including disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, and vandalizing property were dismissed. ICE Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations took him into custody following his guilty plea. Gouvea agreed to leave the United States voluntarily rather than face deportation.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commented: “It is a privilege to work and study in the United States, not a right. There is no room in the United States for brazen, violent acts of anti-Semitism like this. They are an affront to our core principals as a country and an unacceptable threat against law-abiding American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.“We are under zero obligation to admit foreigners who commit these inexplicably reprehensible acts or to let them stay here. Secretary Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and commit anti-American and anti-Semitic violence and terrorism should think again. You are not welcome here.”
