ICE detains Harvard professor in synagogue shooting case
DHS said Wednesday that ICE ERO Boston detained Harvard Law visiting professor Carlos Portugal Gouvea, a Brazilian national arrested Oct. 2 for firing a BB gun outside a Boston-area synagogue, and that he agreed to voluntarily depart the U.S. Gouvea pleaded guilty on Nov. 13 to illegal use of an air rifle after other charges were dismissed, and the State Department revoked his Jā1 visa two weeks after the incident; Harvard suspended him pending the investigation.
š Key Facts
- Carlos Portugal Gouvea was arrested Oct. 2 after firing a BB gun outside a Boston-area synagogue; he pleaded guilty Nov. 13 to illegal air-rifle use.
- ICE ERO Boston detained Gouvea on Wednesday; DHS says he agreed to voluntary departure rather than contested removal.
- The State Department revoked his Jā1 visa two weeks after the shooting; Harvard suspended him pending the probe.
š Relevant Data
In 2024, there were 2,080 reported anti-Jewish hate crime incidents in the US, comprising 70% of all religion-based hate crimes.
Are hate crimes on the rise? ā USAFacts
Anti-Jewish hate crime incidents more than tripled from 2015 to 2024, increasing by 212%.
Are hate crimes on the rise? ā USAFacts
Jewish Americans constitute approximately 2.4% of the US adult population.
The size of the U.S. Jewish population ā Pew Research Center
In the 2024-2025 school year, there were 2,334 antisemitic incidents reported on US college campuses, a 26% increase from the 2023-2024 school year and nearly 10 times higher than in the 2022-2023 school year.
US campuses see record levels of antisemitism, but drop in violent attacks ā The Times of Israel