A Brazilian influencer who claims that immigrants detained by authorities are “criminals” has been arrested by ICE
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Credit: STEPHANIE KEITH / Getty Images / Profimedia
Brazilian influencer Junior Pena, a supporter of Donald Trump, was arrested in New Jersey by ICE agents. He is known for his messages in which he claims that immigrants detained by the US authorities are “all criminals”, writes The Guardian.
Pena recently declared her support for the US president in a video message posted on TikTok, where it has more than 1.3 million followers.
In another video, Pena urged Brazilians to remain calm and not “desperate” after reports that ICE agents were rounding up immigrants, including Brazilians. “They're all criminals anyway. All of them,” he stated.
A friend of the influencer told the local Brazilian Times that Pena was taken into custody after missing a court hearing. His lawyer, Andrew Lattarulo, reportedly tried to resolve the situation and prevent his transfer to another state.
On social media, Pena presents stories of US immigrants, but also criticizes Brazil's left-wing president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
However, he supports former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, recently imprisoned and a Trump ally.
Nearly 3,000 Brazilians deported from the US in 2025
The Brazilian community in the US, estimated at around 2 million people, has been strongly affected by Trump's anti-immigrant offensive, notes The Guardian.
The number of Brazilians deported reached a record high of 2,785 in 2025, compared to 1,640 in 2024.
In a recent report on the “real manhunt” under Trump, Brazilian magazine Veja warned readers: “There is an atmosphere of fear on the streets, where anyone who looks foreign can become a target.”
The publication said Brazilian immigrants in cities like Boston adopt “drastic survival tactics,” including avoiding speaking Portuguese in public and trying to dress like “regular Americans” when they leave the house.
