Ice Detains Father In Washington State; Pregnant Wife Pleads, 'i Just Want Him Home'

ICE detained an expectant begetter successful Washington authorities conscionable months earlier his woman is scheduled to springiness birth.

On Friday morning, Guilherme Lemes Cardoso E Silva was connected his measurement to prime up his girl successful Friday Harbor connected San Juan Island, astir 100 miles northbound of Seattle, erstwhile multiple unmarked ICE vehicles containing masked agents stopped him connected a backstage roadworthy adjacent his home, according to his wife, Rachel Leidig.

Silva, primitively from Brazil, is simply a 35-year-old ocular creator presently based successful Washington state. Photos posted to his Instagram relationship show immoderate of his colorful activity that tin beryllium seen crossed nan country.

Rachel Leidig and her husband, Guilherme Lemes Cardoso E Silva.Courtesy Rachel Leidig

Silva and Leidig met successful 2023 astatine a Flaming Lips performance successful San Francisco. The mates joined successful April and are expecting a babe boy successful October. Silva — aliases Gui, arsenic Leidig calls him — was meant to move to Sausalito, California, astatine nan extremity of nan period to beryllium pinch Leidig.

"He’s conscionable 1 of those group who it's like, erstwhile you meet him he’s conscionable truthful loving and lukewarm and kind," Leidig said. "Anyone that genuinely knows Gui knows that he's an astonishing person."

Silva has nary criminal grounds aliases outstanding warrants, Leidig said. Silva and Leidig were moving pinch an migration lawyer and successful nan process of submitting an exertion to legalize his residency position successful nan U.S. erstwhile Silva was detained. After his detainment, Leidig submitted an I-130 form, aliases a "petition for alien relative." He was besides successful nan process of renewing his activity permit, Leidig said.

According to Leidig, Silva told her that nan ICE agents who detained him were unsmooth pinch him and refused to show him a warrant. One supplier confiscated his telephone erstwhile he began signaling nan incident and others were making jokes during his arrest, she said.

"They were down him laughing and making jokes, saying they were gladsome they didn't make nan news this time," Leidig said.

Silva told Leidig that he was held successful a holding compartment for 38 hours successful Ferndale wherever "the conditions were terrible" and he was fixed nutrient that made him sick. He was besides told to show his tattoos and asked if he had ever been affiliated pinch a gang, which he said he has ne'er been.

ICE did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

A GoFundMe that was created by Leidig's friend to thief support Silva's family and raise money for ineligible fees has amassed complete $56,000 arsenic of Tuesday afternoon.

Silva is being held astatine a detention halfway successful Tacoma, Washington, according to online records. Leidig says he has a tribunal proceeding astatine nan extremity of nan month, and she hopes he will beryllium released then.

"I conscionable want him home, I want him to travel location to me," Leidig said successful tears. "We've been trying to do this legally and I want him to beryllium present for nan commencement of our child, and I want him to beryllium location for maine and his boy and for his daughter."

Leidig says erstwhile Silva gets out, he wants to usage his acquisition and rule grade from Brazil to thief others who are successful his position.

"He wants to make this a bigger intent of helping different people," Leidig said.