Kevin Gomes Andrade

In an interview with The Light, U.S. Rep. Bill Keating talked about immigration, the cost of living and political changes in southeastern Massachusetts.

➡️ Read the story: buff.ly/YV0ksls

📝 Grace Ferguson
🎥 Eleonora Bianchi

Federal judge orders ICE to release New Bedford man — and return his keys - The New Bedford Light “The Court holds that Mr. Morales’ continued detention is illegal and that he is entitled to immediate release and to a bond hearing before an [Immigration Judge].” – Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.

Via @kevingandrade.bsky.social:

"A federal judge ordered the immediate release of an undocumented New Bedford man held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a Rhode Island facility in a damning opinion issued late Tuesday."

New Bedford asylee back home after weeklong ICE detention - The New Bedford Light Pascual Cuin González, an immigrant with asylum status and a work permit, was detained in three facilities before being released.

“They never told me why they arrested me,” Pascual Cuin González told The Light, “or why they let me go.” newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

Impact of Trump policies worsens for immigrant businesses - The New Bedford Light Store owners on Acushnet Avenue say ICE operations have dealt a blow to their revenue – with one business reporting a 50% loss in sales in the last eight months.

“The terror that is out there is fear of immigration [agents],” said Marí Lucy Toj Méndez, owner of Lucy's Party Store on Acushnet Ave. “So now, with every little thing you do, that fear is always there in the background."

newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

New Bedford immigrants describe inhumane conditions at detention facilities - The New Bedford Light New Bedford immigrants describe inhumane conditions at detention facilities: lack of basic necessities including limited food, water, medical attention and showers.

We interviewed five New Bedford residents detained by ICE since January (and the family of one other). 2 are back home after making bond. Two were deported to Brazil and Guatemala, respectively. Two more remain in detention.

These are their stories from inside.

newbedfordlight.org/its-hard-to-...

Judge orders the release of New Bedford’s first confirmed female detainee - The New Bedford Light Yury Melissa Aguiriano-Romero, mother of three, has been in ICE custody since her arrest at a scheduled immigration check-in on June 3.

“She’s not a flight risk,” said Robin Nice, the attorney for New Bedford's only confirmed female immigrant detainee during the hearing Monday at Chelmsford Immigration Court. “She’s just a mom of three who’s eager to reunite with her three kids.”

newbedfordlight.org/judge-orders...

Advocates tell immigrants: Stay strong on your rights when it comes to ICE - The New Bedford Light Allegations of civil rights violations by federal agents during the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign are flooding into advocates’ offices.

“Generally speaking, the information available to us indicates that ICE has been engaging in a variety of widespread civil rights abuses,” said Dan McFadden, managing attorney at the @aclum.bsky.social.

My latest for @newbedfordlight.bsky.social.

newbedfordlight.org/advocates-te...

ICE, Coast Guard arrest Guatemalan fisherman at New Bedford port - The New Bedford Light Luis Guillermo Castro Alvarez, 31, the 43rd confirmed detainee in New Bedford, is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility.

Luis Guillermo Castro Alvarez, 31, the 43rd confirmed detainee in New Bedford, is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. He was detained at the Port of New Bedford on Wednesday in an operation including ICE agents and the Coast Guard.

newbedfordlight.org/ice-coast-gu...

New Bedford Market Basket suspends 47 immigrants after I-9 audit - The New Bedford Light A spokesperson confirmed that the suspensions are directly linked to ICE activity at the Sawyer Street store.

ICYMI: 47 workers suspended at New Bedford branch of Massachusetts supermarket chain Market Basket after ICE audit.

newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

New Bedford Market Basket suspends 47 immigrants after I-9 audit - The New Bedford Light A spokesperson confirmed that the suspensions are directly linked to ICE activity at the Sawyer Street store.

47 immigrant workers 'suspended' from jobs at New Bedford store of popular Massachusetts grocery chain Market Basket,

newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

ICE Agents Invade a Manhattan Little League Field Youman Wilder has coached local kids for twenty-one years—including four who have gone pro. When masked agents tried to interrogate his players, he told them, “You don’t have more rights than they do....

When ICE agents questioned a group of 11- to 14-year-olds who’d just finished batting practice, their coach, Youman Wilder, stepped in. “I’m willing to die to make sure these kids can get home,” he recounted afterward.

@jonathanblitzer.bsky.social Thank you! Please keep leading the charge!

ICE makes first arrest in weeks in New Bedford - The New Bedford Light A 48-year-old immigrant from El Salvador is detained on his way to New Bedford District Court to face a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

A 48-year-old immigrant from El Salvador was detained by ICE on his way to New Bedford District Court to face a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

newbedfordlight.org/ice-makes-fi...

Today in @newbedfordlight.bsky.social

Families of detained New Bedford immigrants suffer financially and emotionally - The New Bedford Light Whether or not ICE is deliberately targeting immigrant men, the effect is the same: families who remain here are struggling financially and emotionally.

“The broad trends in terms of who is targeted are not new,” @heathersmo.bsky.social said. “These trends are also consistent with Trump’s language from his first term about ‘bad hombres.’”

newbedfordlight.org/after-the-ic...

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday that she signed an executive order seeking greater transparency from federal immigration officials. She said the city will submit regular Freedom of Information Act requests to find out who ICE is detaining and on what grounds.

New Bedford mother arrested during scheduled immigration check-in - The New Bedford Light The city’s first known detained female immigrant is being held in Burlington under harsh, unsanitary conditions, according to her husband.

The city’s first known detained female immigrant is being held in Burlington under harsh, unsanitary conditions, according to her husband.

newbedfordlight.org/honduran-mot...

Here's a baby otter to start your week.

Israel interceptou, esta segunda-feira, o veleiro Madleen que transportava ajuda humanitária para Gaza e onde seguiam 12 activistas. Imagens de videovigilância mostram o momento.

Saiba mais: publico.pt/v97066

My one month anniversary on the job and Ellie took this excellently timed photo of me covering a demonstration in New Bedford (coming soon in @newbedfordlight.bsky.social).

I think I may have found my new LinkedIn profile pic.

Community speaks after ICE raids at South Park Italian restaurant Restaurant owners said they are heartbroken and describe the operation as traumatic.

“Community members surrounded ICE trucks and faced off with agents in military garb with guns.

'Shame, shame, shame,’ some people yelled at the agents, video showed.”

www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/c...

ICE defends May arrests of nearly 1,500 immigrants in Massachusetts - The New Bedford Light ICE’s acting director defends arrests and masked agents. Critics question his assertion that detainees are getting due process.

Federal authorities arrested almost 1500 immigrants in Massachusetts in May in 'Operation Patriot.' Almost 700 of those had no criminal record and 10 were in New Bedford.

“We are coming for you" - ICE Boston Director Patricia Hyde at a press conference Monday.

newbedfordlight.org?p=164196&pre...

I'm proud to be a member of the Light team and look forward to providing the community with coverage, alongside Ellie and the rest of the team, on this salient issue.

New Bedford immigrant whose arrest went viral freed on bond - The New Bedford Light “I just want to see my family now,” said Juan Francisco Méndez, released 31 days after agents smashed the window of his vehicle and arrested him on April 14.

We were in Burlington a week later to witness his release on bail. His release was delayed after it was found that three A-numbers, used to identify immigration cases, were assigned to Méndez.

newbedfordlight.org/update-immig...

Immigrant ordered released by judge is still in custody as ICE files charges - The New Bedford Light The misdemeanor charges against Juan Francisco Méndez could keep him in custody at least until next week.

I was at Chelmsford Immigration Court when an immigration judge ordered the release of Juan Francisco Méndez. His arrest went viral after an agent was filmed smashing his car window with a hammer.

newbedfordlight.org/immigrant-or...

Immigrant in U.S. for 30 years arrested by federal agents in New Bedford - The New Bedford Light Juan Ramón Alegría Rodas is the 18th confirmed detainee in New Bedford since Jan. 20. He says he has been detained in a case of mistaken identity.

I interviewed a mother and daughter trying to figure out what to do with their lives hours after ICE agents arrested Juan Ramón Alegría Rodas as he was getting ready to pick his daughter up from New Bedford High School.

newbedfordlight.org/guatemalan-i...

Português detido nos EUA aguarda decisão sobre deportação numa prisão a 200 km de casa <p><span>O português detido na fronteira dos Estados Unidos pode ser deportado do país, mesmo tendo residência permanente em território norte-americano. Rui Murras permanece há quase um mês sob custód...

I also went on Portuguese news network SIC Noticias to speak on the case.

sicnoticias.pt/mundo/2025-0...

New Bedford man detained by ICE despite longtime legal residency in U.S. - The New Bedford Light The case rests on a 2012 drug charge that had been resolved, but for legal permanent residents, even dismissed charges can carry significant consequences.

We reported on the case of Rui Murras, a Portuguese green card holder detained after returning from vacation in Mexico at Logan airport due to a decade-old dismissed drug charge.

newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

200 protest ICE raids in New Bedford - The New Bedford Light Story excerpt Demonstrators outside City Hall criticize the Trump administration and press for response from city officials.

Shortly afterward, community members gather at City Hall to protest the raid and other ICE actions.

newbedfordlight.org/new-bedford-...

Two Guatemalans detained in early morning ICE raid in New Bedford - The New Bedford Light Agents used a battering ram to break into a home on Viall Street and pointed a rifle at teenagers as they conducted the operation.

Though not the first raid in the city, I visited the apartment of a Guatemalan family in New Bedford's South End hours after federal agents used a battering ram to force entry into a home and detain two men on immigration charges with Ellie Bianchi.

newbedfordlight.org/two-guatemal...