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Boston's Morning Newsletter
The latest on the Milford high school student detained by ICE, as the case heads to court
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Today is expected to be the hottest day of 2025 so far, with temperatures reaching into the 90s across most of Massachusetts. (For those navigating the Green Line closure, at least those shuttle buses have air conditioning.)
But first, the news:
On thin ICE: The near-term future of the Milford High School student who was detained last weekend by federal immigration officials will be determined today in a courthouse in Chelmsford. The immigration court hearing comes after a federal judge in Boston denied a request from ICE yesterday to move Marcelo Gomes Da Silva from the facility in Burlington where he's being held to Rhode Island.
- Catch up: Gomes Da Silva was arrested on the way to volleyball practice Saturday by ICE agents who said they were looking for his father for past driving violations. According to his attorney Robin Nice, the Brazil native came to the U.S. with his family in 2012 on a student visa that later expired. In an interview on WBUR's All Things Considered, Nice described Gomes Da Silva as a studious athlete and band member who has been sleeping on a concrete floor at the Burlington facility.
- What to expect today: ICE is pushing to deport Gomes Da Silva for his lack of legal status. Nice will argue he should be released on bond while the immigration case is challenged. "There is no reason to detain a junior in high school with no criminal record whatsoever," she said.
- Watch: Gomes Da Silva's parents and siblings posted an emotional video yesterday pleading for his release. "We love America. Please bring my son back," his father, João Paulo Gomes-Pereira, said. "I just miss everything about him," Gomes Da Silva's sister, Mariana, added. "I just miss when he used to make ramen for me, and chicken nuggets in the air fryer. I just really miss him."
- Meanwhile: Leah Foley, the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, released a video yesterday defending ICE and blasting Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for creating a "false narrative" about the masked agents' behavior.
- Tune in: Foley will be live on WBUR shortly after 8 a.m. today to talk to Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing about recent ICE ations and her office's role.
A new escalation: President Trump is moving to block nearly all foreign students who attend Harvard University from entering the country. The move comes after a federal judge at least temporarily blocked Trump's attempt to rescind Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students. But the new executive order Wednesday night takes a different approach, citing a broad national security law.
- Meanwhile: Trump used the same legal justification Wednesday to announce a new travel ban covering 19 countries, slated to take effect Monday.
- What's next: Expect another potential lawsuit from Harvard. In a statement Wednesday night, a Harvard spokesperson told WBUR that Trump's order is "yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights."
On Lansdowne: The days of players at Fenway Park (maybe) hitting balls onto the Mass. Pike could be numbered. This week, the owners of the Red Sox unveiled plans for a seven-story office building on Lansdowne Street behind the Green Monster. Located at the site of what's currently a low-slung parking garage, the 129-foot-tall building would mostly serve as the headquarters of Fenway Sports Group and include first-floor shops and restaurants. As The Boston Globe first reported, it would also block views of the Kenmore Square Citgo sign from "certain angles" inside the park.
- What it will look like: Click here to scroll through the renderings submitted to the Boston Planning and Development Agency this week.
- What's next: According to the Globe, construction could start as soon as "mid-to-late 2026," and is expected to take two and a half years.
- Zoom out: The planned building is one of several redevelopments that FSG is planning around the ballpark as part of the larger "Fenway Corners" project.
In Worcester: Clark University is planning to lay off dozens of faculty members amid the financial pressures of "lower-than-expected enrollment" and the larger challenges facing small New England colleges. According to the Worcester Business Journal, Clark expected to enroll around 525 incoming freshmen this fall, but will miss that target by 80 to 100 students. As a result, Clark is planning to lay off up to 30% of its faculty and 5% of its staff over the next two years. The university also plans to eliminate "lower-enrolled" majors and consolidate its five schools into three.
P.S.— Today is your last chance to vote for your favorite local NPR Tiny Desk entry! Our panelists narrowed hundreds of submissions from Massachusetts down to 17 finalists. Check out all the short music videos and cast your vote by midnight tonight.
