A 32-year-old man from New Bedford, Massachusetts, is currently being held in an immigration detention facility in Maine despite having lived in the United States since he was just two years old.
Rui Murras, a legal permanent resident, was detained by U.S. immigration officers after returning from a vacation abroad at the end of March. According to his attorney, the detention is related to a decade-old drug charge.
Murras, who has a valid green card, is now at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland, Maine, as his family fights for his release. His sister-in-law, Sofia Cabral-Murras, created a fundraising page to cover legal expenses, stating, “He traveled out of the country on vacation and was detained by Border Patrol on his return over an old record.”
Born in Portugal, Murras has spent nearly his entire life in New Bedford, where he has worked full-time and shared a home with his longtime partner. The issue stems from a 2012 case where Murras was charged with distributing a Class D controlled substance, believed to be marijuana, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
While the distribution charge was dismissed, Murras admitted to sufficient facts on the conspiracy charge. At the time, court records show that he was warned about the potential impact on his residency status. The conspiracy charge was dismissed in 2013, following a recommendation by the probation department.
In 2017, Murras faced another legal issue when he was charged with operating under the influence (OUI). However, this case was also dismissed in 2018 after Murras completed a required alcohol education program, a standard procedure for first-time OUI offenders in Massachusetts.
Despite these resolutions, the drug charge from 2012 is the central issue in Murras’s current immigration case. According to his attorney, Stephen Roth, green card holders are not automatically shielded from deportation, even if criminal charges are dismissed.
Roth explained that legal permanent residents can still be subject to removal, particularly when their past criminal records resurface during immigration enforcement.
Roth emphasized that Murras’s situation is not an isolated case. Many permanent residents with past criminal records, even for minor offenses or ones resolved years ago, are being detained upon re-entry to the U.S.
The Trump administration’s policies, which focused on individuals with criminal histories, further increased the likelihood of such detentions. These enforcement actions have extended to long-time residents who may have committed minor infractions in the distant past.
In response to the increasing frequency of such detentions, Roth advised against international travel for permanent residents, especially those with any criminal history, as even minor offenses are being flagged.
While Murras’s family has raised more than $18,000 for his legal defense, they continue to advocate for his release. In a statement posted on the fundraising page, his sister-in-law reiterated their belief in Murras’s innocence: “Rui is not a criminal. He is a good person who does not deserve to be in jail while this gets cleared up.”
This case highlights the risks faced by legal permanent residents, who, despite their long-term ties to the U.S., may still face deportation due to past criminal charges. Immigration experts note that U.S. citizenship is the best protection against deportation, but even naturalization can be jeopardized by a criminal record.
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