NORWOOD – A video circulating online recently appears to depict law enforcement officers arresting two male individuals on Dean St on July 9, 2026.
In a statement to Inside Norwood, an ICE Spokesperson confirmed the agents were Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) officers from the Boston field office. “ICE Boston arrested Mateus Laurenco De Oliveira, an illegal alien from Brazil, during targeted operations July 9 in Norwood, Massachusetts” they said. They did not identify the other man.
A self-described Social Justice Activist named Lucy Pineda posted two videos on her personal Facebook page on July 9th just before 9am. Unfortunately, there’s no context accompanying the video which makes for an interesting dialogue in the comments (watch videos below).
Chief Christopher Padden confirmed they were not Norwood police officers, nor did NPD know anything about this particular operation.
“Most federal law enforcement will deconflict with us during criminal investigations. ICE does not, however, if they are doing immigration enforcement” Padden told Inside Norwood.
The publisher of the video, Lucy Pineda is the Executive Director of Latinos Unidos en Massachusetts (LUMA), which provides the Latin American community basic services with immigration issues and civic participation based in Everett. She uses her social media accounts to collect and distribute video captured from cell phones from all across Massachusetts.
The video posted on Thursday appears to be taken several floors above Dean St. The officers are dressed in non-uniform except a green vest with the word POLICE on the back. The four SUV type vehicles with flashing lights are not marked with any insignia, thus it was unclear from what agency these officers are from.
“De Oliveira entered the United States illegally and was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol April 18, 2021″ the ICE Spokesperson told Inside Norwood. “He was removed to Brazil in July 2021. He illegally re-entered the U.S. — a felony — on an unknown date and location. On April 15, 2025, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal. He will now remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.”
ICE spokesperson suggested that people in the U.S. without legal authorization are encouraged to voluntarily leave the country using the CBP Home app, which offers a free flight and a $2,600 stipend. The spokesperson said those who do not self-deport may be arrested and removed from the United States, potentially losing the opportunity to legally return in the future. -RD