Massachusetts’ Healey Welcomes Illegal Immigrant Marcelo Gomes da Silva

Whatever your view of President Donald Trump or your opinion of the Trump Administration's crackdown on criminal illegal immigrants, it is clear that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is playing politics by hosting Milford's most famous illegal immigrant, Marcelo Gomes da Silva.

Healey, whose disastrous immigration policies have cost Massachusetts taxpayers billions of dollars and drew the ire of national border czar Tom Homan, welcomed da Silva to her State House office on Friday for selfies and a chat – and also invited some members of the press.

The 18-year-old da Silva was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while walking to high school volleyball practice on May 31. Da Silva spent six days at an ICE detention facility in Burlington, Massachusetts before being released on bond.

Da Silva was not the target of an ICE investigation, but because immigration agents stumbled upon him while looking for his father, they had to detain him for due process.

Da Silva, a native of Brazil, was brought to America when he was five years old. Those who know him say he is a good kid, but ICE agents don't have the latitude to dismiss a good kid once they determine he is in the country illegally. The law requires them to bring him in. They did their job.

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In some ways, Marcelo Gomes da Silva has become a poster child in the debate over illegal immigration, as has Laken Riley, the 22-year-old Georgia University student murdered by illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra while jogging in February of 2024.

Without a doubt, Healey is using da Silva to soften her image as re-election draws near. Healey has had a rough year, and it could get worse as former migrant shelter director Jon Fetherston asked U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to conduct a criminal probe of Healey's shelter system.

Da Silva is a sympathetic character who got caught up in the immigration debate. A few selfies with da Silva could be good for a few votes for Healey's re-election. Sound cynical? It is, indeed.