WORCESTER, MA – A local family is accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of using deceptive tactics and excessive force during a series of arrests that have sparked public outrage, legal scrutiny, and protest on Eureka Street in Worcester. The incident was first reported by MassLive on May 18.
According to MassLive, the events began the morning of May 7, when Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza was driving to work and honked at an unmarked ICE vehicle that had cut him off in traffic. ICE agents immediately detained Ferreira-De Souza on the spot, despite the fact that “he had committed no crime,” according to his partner, Augusta Clara Moura.
Ferreira-De Souza was subsequently transferred to the Pine Prairie Correctional Facility in Louisiana, where he remains in custody. He and Moura have a three-month-old son.
The following day, MassLive reports, ICE agents went to Moura’s home, demanded she sign immigration-related documents, and return her partner’s vehicle. Fearing arrest, Moura fled the residence with her baby and 17-year-old sister, intending to comply with the demands.
Moura told MassLive, “That’s when they stopped my car and told me I was under arrest.” She claims ICE officers also tried to take her baby but relented after bystanders intervened.
In distress, Moura called her mother, Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, for help. When Ferreira-De Oliveira arrived to care for the infant, she was arrested by ICE agents as well.
“This was a trap,” Moura said. “They used me and my sister as bait to get my mother. They told me they were going to arrest me if I didn’t comply. I’m scared, homeless, and trying to protect my baby.”
Moura is currently staying with friends and has no access to her home or personal belongings. She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for food, legal expenses, housing, clothing, and other urgent needs, MassLive reports.
Her attorney, Andrew George Lattarulo—who also represents Ferreira-De Souza—stated that ICE’s actions may have violated the family’s rights and described the tactics as both immoral and legally questionable.
On May 8, tensions escalated on Eureka Street when ICE agents attempted to leave the scene while Ferreira-De Oliveira was in custody. According to MassLive, more than 30 neighbors confronted agents, questioned the legality of the arrests, and demanded to see a warrant. The Worcester Police Department reported being called after receiving claims that a federal agent was surrounded by a “rowdy group.”
Ferreira-De Oliveira’s daughter reportedly attempted to block the ICE vehicle while holding her newborn. MassLive reports she was pushed to the ground and arrested. She now faces charges including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and reckless endangerment of a child.
Ferreira-De Oliveira is currently detained at the Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island. ICE alleges she entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2022 and is also facing state charges for allegedly striking a pregnant family member with a phone charging cable earlier this year. She previously pleaded not guilty in Worcester District Court and posted $500 bail. Her trial is scheduled for July 18.
Public backlash has intensified in the wake of the arrests. On May 13, local activists, including Mysti Green and Walter Crockett of Worcester Indivisible, organized a protest outside Worcester City Hall. Demonstrators held signs reading “Crush ICE” and demanded the agency leave the city.
That evening, a City Council meeting was moved online after Mayor Joseph Petty cited safety concerns in response to threats of violence. During the virtual session, multiple residents condemned what they saw as police cooperation with ICE operations.
Following the controversy, Mayor Petty introduced an order calling for a new citywide policy governing how local officials and law enforcement interact with federal immigration authorities. City Council Vice Chair Khrystian King renewed his push for establishing a civilian review board.
