A Brazilian, Anderson Crivelaro, shares his harrowing experience of being held in an immigrant detention center in the US, describing the appalling conditions and increasing deportations of Brazilian immigrants since 2025.
Anderson Crivelaro, a Brazilian national, moved to the United States in 2021 seeking a better life for his family. However, his American dream was shattered when he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August 2025. After spending four months in a detention center known for its harsh conditions, he was deported back to Brazil. Crivelaro's family remains in the U.S., and he now faces a 10-year ban from re-entering the country.
The situation for Brazilian immigrants has worsened dramatically, particularly since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, with statistics showing a significant rise in deportations. In 2025 alone, 3,526 Brazilians were deported, marking a 47% increase compared to the previous year. Crivelaro's story sheds light on the troubling reality many immigrants face, where legal processes do not guarantee protection from detention and expulsion.
Crivelaro's accounts of life in the detention center reveal inhumane conditions, including inadequate food supply and insufficient sanitary measures, leading him to liken the facility to a form of torture. His narrative is emblematic of the broader struggles faced by countless immigrants trying to navigate the complexities of U.S. immigration policies, raising questions about the human rights implications surrounding these practices and the treatment of vulnerable populations.
