The third Somervillian in a week was taken Saturday by federal agents, and residents plan a nighttime protest at the Hyatt hotel in Medford where the arresting agents are reportedly staying. The man was later identified by friends as Magdaleno Pineda Avelar, 42, an East Somerville resident who was on his way to work at a Back Bay restaurant.
The latest abduction was reported by state and local officials, and video was posted on social media of a man walking at around noon at Hathorn Street and Broadway in East Somerville being stopped by agents. They popped out of two SUVs and a car marked as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and wearing gear marked as belonging to Homeland Security police, said people on the scene.
Avelar stayed to answer the agents’ questions despite city councilor JT Scott offering to walk off with him, since officially he was not being detained. Avelar declined, telling the federal agents he didn’t “want to be rude,” Scott said. The scene is captured on video, taking place shortly after 11:15 a.m., according to one resident who was filming.
Less than two minutes later, a confused Avelar was placed into handcuffs with no explanation and stuffed into a car with New York license plates, Scott said.
State representative Mike Connolly, whose district represents East Somerville and East Cambridge, said that his review of video from the abduction reveals one federal agent agreeing the man was “lawful.” Scott and Connolly also said the agents agreed there was no warrant out for the man they took – yet said he “fit exactly the description of the problem we’re here to address.”
As you can see, this man is as cool as a cucumber, knows his rights, and is confident that he is here legally.
— JT Scott (@jtforward2.bsky.social) September 20, 2025 at 12:44 PM
The next two minutes of video show me offering to walk off with him since he’s not being detained. He declines, because he “doesn’t want to be rude”. Less than two minutes later, they place him in cuffs with no explanation and stuff him into a car with NY plates.
— JT Scott (@jtforward2.bsky.social) September 20, 2025 at 12:44 PM
By city estimates, Avelar is the 31st person who lives or works in Somerville who has been detained since the start of the calendar year. This is based on reports to the city by community members, said Denise Taylor, a city spokesperson. Overwhelmingly, those apprehended have been of Brazilian origin and have not been convicted of any violent crimes, Taylor said.
By comparison, neighboring Cambridge has seen four Ice actions: three workers at the Phoenix Landing bar who encountered federal agents outside the city, said Cambridge police commissioner Christine Elow, and a Revere woman who was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Cambridge. When she was released from the police station, agents were there to grab her, having been alerted apparently by the running of her fingerprints through a national database.
An East Somerville resident was also taken Monday on Wisconsin Avenue; and before that, there was a detention on Broadway around midnight Sept. 13, officials said.
These detentions “are not being reported by the federal government to Somerville or any agency that may provide residents with their constitutional rights to due process,” East Somerville city councilor Matt McLaughlin said. The lack of notice about a law enforcement action in the city gives Ice “time to quickly move people out of state to be processed for expedited deportation.”
Effect on Somerville
The city is working with Greater Boston Legal Services and the ACLU to provide legal help to anyone detained by Ice, McLaughlin said in an email, but the abductions are having an impact on the city and East Somerville especially – a neighborhood where 70 percent of businesses are immigrant owned.
“At least three businesses have closed since Trump took office. The decline in business as well as tariffs are negatively impacting our community and tax base,” McLaughlin said. “We can’t behave like we are the ones doing something wrong, hiding in fear and staying divided. Those of us who are able must continue using our constitutionally protected rights of free speech and free association to keep our streets safe and support our local economy.”
There is another way to fight back, Scott said: “If you’re losing sleep over Ice abducting our neighbors,” he suggested people go to an 8:30 p.m. Saturday protest at the Hyatt Place Medford, at 116 Riverside Ave. in that city, to let the agents reportedly staying there “hear about” the community’s objections to Ice tactics. The poster for the protest suggests bringing noisemakers.
“An amazing person”
Scott asked anyone who knew Avelar to get in touch as soon as possible at jtscott@somervillema.gov so legal help could get started. The following Monday, a family friend who asked to be anonymous because speaking could have ramifications for her employment said a lawyer has been contacted, but the cost would be financially challenging for the family. “We’re trying to find someone who can help pro bono,” the friend said, noting that the family has not been able to find Avelar in an Ice database, and that the government is not providing information about where he is.
Another friend, Shannon McMahon, a doctoral student at an area university, said she worked with Avelar for two years at a restaurant. “I had just moved to Boston. He was the first person who was really nice to me, and I knew instantly he was an amazing person,” McMahon said, describing Avelar as a hard worker whose colleagues have “only nice things to say about him. He’s such a nice, kind person who would help you out with anything with a smile.”
“This is breaking my heart,” McMahon said. “He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. The fact this is happening is mind-boggling to me.”
This post was updated Sept. 22, 2025, with the name and other information about Magdaleno Pineda Avelar. It was updated Sept. 26, 2025, to correct that three Phoenix Landing workers were detained by federal agents, for four total actions around Cambridge.
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>>These detentions “are not being reported by the federal government to Somerville”
If the feds aren’t working with us, I see no need for us to work with them.
Truly disturbing and disheartening. Even in our little progressive bubble people are expected to show their papers if they fit a profile.
Happy to donate for lawyer’s fees, protest, write letters, whatever. Just need information on how to do it.
This is absolutely outrageous, but what baffles me is: How do we allow these “police” (if that is in fact what they are) to wear masks? If you are in law enforcement, protecting and serving the public, show your face!
I’ll be at the protest Saturday night. I don’t recognize my country any longer.