Helena da Silva Hughes, president of the Immigrant Assistance Center in New Bedford, Massachusetts, has confirmed that Rui Murras, a resident, was released on bail and is now with his family. Murras is scheduled to appear before an immigration judge, though specific dates have not been disclosed.
Thirty-two-year-old Rui Murras, who holds a permanent residency permit in the United States, known as a ‘Green Card’, has lived in the country since he was two. He was detained by immigration authorities upon returning from a vacation abroad. Despite spending nearly his entire life in New Bedford, Murras faces the threat of deportation to Portugal due to past legal issues in the U.S.
“I’ve handled numerous cases where individuals with a Green Card were deported. This is going to be a lengthy process,” assessed Hughes, who leads the nonprofit immigrant center.
Recalling a previous case, Hughes shared, “A Portuguese woman spent $27,000 [24,000 euros] to prevent her son’s deportation, but despite the expense, he was ultimately deported.”
Rui Murras was detained for several weeks under the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and held in a facility outside of Massachusetts, where he is a legal resident.
“Rui will need to convince the judge that he has had no further legal issues, that he is employed, and that his family, who are U.S. citizens, reside here,” Hughes added.
An online fundraiser, now closed, was set up by Murras’s sister-in-law, Sofia Cabral-Murras, to cover legal expenses. She detailed that he was detained by Border Patrol due to a past criminal record and emphasized, “Rui is not a criminal. He is a good person who doesn’t deserve to be in jail while this is resolved.”
Murras was detained in Portland, Maine, while his family fought for his return. Attempts to contact his family have not been successful.
The New Bedford Light reports that Murras faced legal trouble in 2012, when he was accused of distributing a controlled substance, typically marijuana, and conspiracy to violate drug laws. The conspiracy charge was dropped in July 2013. In 2017, he faced a driving under the influence charge, which was dismissed after he completed an alcohol education program.
His defense argues that the arrest is tied to the 2012 drug trafficking charges. Despite holding a permanent residency visa, Murras is at risk of deportation, a situation affecting other foreign nationals as well.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) is “monitoring” the situation, with the Portuguese consul in New Bedford having spoken to Murras and his family, according to an official government source.
The Green Card grants the right to live and work indefinitely in the U.S., but does not shield individuals from deportation. There are approximately 12.8 million Green Card holders in the United States, according to recent estimates by the Department of Homeland Security.
Since Donald Trump’s administration, instances of Green Card holders being detained and subjected to deportation proceedings have increased. One high-profile case involves Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who organized protests against the war in Gaza. His Green Card was revoked, leading to the start of deportation proceedings.
