Pro-Trump Influencer Who Called Migrants “Crooks” Arrested by ICE in Newark
NEWARK, N.J. — Júnior Pena, a prominent Brazilian social media influencer known for his vocal support of President Donald Trump’s stringent immigration policies, has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The arrest, which took place in Newark, New Jersey, has drawn significant attention due to Pena’s history of claiming that immigration enforcement actions only targeted criminals.
Pena, whose full name is Eustáquio da Silva Pena Júnior, was reportedly taken into custody on Saturday after failing to appear at a rescheduled immigration hearing. According to reports, the hearing date may not have been properly recorded in federal systems, leading to his absence. He is currently being held at the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark. His attorney, Andrew Lattarulo, is working to resolve the legal matter and prevent Pena’s transfer to a facility in another state.
The influencer has built a substantial following on platforms like TikTok and Instagram by documenting the lives of Brazilian immigrants in the United States. He has frequently used his platform to downplay fears regarding deportation raids, insisting to his followers that law-abiding migrants had nothing to worry about. In a widely circulated video, Pena urged fellow Brazilians not to “despair” over reports of ICE crackdowns, asserting that those being detained were “all crooks. The lot of them.”
Pena, who hails from Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, has lived in the United States since 2009. His content often featured praise for former President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and explicit support for President Trump, with Pena once stating, “I support Donald Trump – I like the guy.”
The news of his detention has sparked a wave of reactions across social media platforms. Critics and observers have pointed out the sharp contrast between Pena’s previous rhetoric and his current legal predicament. Many users have recirculated his past comments where he assured his audience that “only crooks” face deportation, characterizing the arrest as a moment of irony.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increased immigration enforcement actions affecting the Brazilian community in the United States. Recent data indicates a rise in deportations of Brazilian nationals, a demographic that has seen significant migration flows to the U.S. in recent years. While Pena’s legal team attempts to clarify the clerical errors that may have led to his arrest, he remains in federal custody pending further legal proceedings.
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