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Worcester mother detained by ICE in high-profile arrest granted asylum
Rosane Ferreira De Oliveira has been in custody since May. DHS has 30 days to appeal the judge's decision, during which she will remain in custody in New Hampshire.
A Worcester mother who has been in federal custody for months after a chaotic confrontation between neighbors and ICE agents has been granted asylum, her lawyer said.
Rosane Ferreira De Oliveira is still in federal immigration custody at the Strafford County Corrections in Dover, New Hampshire, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s inmate tracker and lawyer Paul Toland.
Toland confirmed that Ferreira De Oliveira was granted asylum in immigration court, which was first reported by MassLive. Speaking to Boston.com, he declined to share what he called “private” and “personal” facts about her specific asylum claim.
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The Department of Homeland Security has 30 days to appeal the decision, Toland said.
“While in that period, she’s going to remain in custody during that time,” Toland said. “DHS decides not to appeal, then eventually she should be allowed out of custody.”
DHS, which did not return a request for comment, could indicate before the month is up that the department won’t file an appeal, meaning Ferreira De Oliveira could be released within weeks.
“I’m just grateful for the fact that she’s been granted this asylum claim,” Toland said. “She has a glimmer of hope to be released, and hopefully DHS doesn’t exercise their right to appeal.”
Ferreira De Oliveira arrested as neighbors confront ICE
Ferreira De Oliveira was arrested in Worcester in May after dozens of residents, including her daughters and a Worcester City Councilor, surrounded and confronted federal agents. Local police arrested Ferreira De Oliveira’s teen daughter and a former candidate for Worcester School Committee.
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According to reports, ICE allegedly lured the Ferreira De Oliveira of her home using her family members, claiming she needed to take custody of her grandchild, before detaining her. Worcester police released body camera footage of the scene shortly after the arrest, showing officers pushing the teen daughter to the ground.
The arrests prompted thousands to gather at multiple demonstrations across the city and dozens of Worcester residents to attend a meeting criticizing the council and police.
At the time, a spokesperson for DHS called Ferreira De Oliveira “a violent criminal illegal alien.” She was facing a local charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a pregnant victim that was filed in February, records in Worcester District Court show. The charge was dropped in July.
Her two teenage daughters were reported missing in July, according to police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Her 13-year-old daughter was found in Massachusetts earlier this month and returned to DCF custody, while her 17-year-old daughter is still missing.
City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who stood with Ferreira De Oliveira’s daughter when her mother was arrested, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery and interfering with a police officer after the Eureka Street standoff.
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“They destroyed and tore this family apart. I am so happy Rosane was granted asylum,” Haxhiaj wrote on Facebook. “May she be able to reunite her family and heal from the severe trauma she and her daughters were subjected to on Eureka Street.”
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