A Massachusetts man is suing federal immigration officials over what he claims is his unlawful detention following an arrest by Border Patrol agents in Maine.
Edgar Vicente Bermeo Sicha, originally from Ecuador, entered the U.S. in 2024 and presented himself to border agents seeking refuge from persecution back home, according to court documents. He was released pending a court date.
But on July 28, court records show he was detained by Border Patrol agents while driving to a job site in Auburn. In mid-August he was transferred to Texas, where as of Wednesday, ICE’s detainee locator system showed him being held at the Port Isabel Service Detention Center in Los Fresnos.
In court filings, Bermeo Sicha’s lawyers said during his time in Border Patrol custody in Maine, he had no access to interpretation services and limited access to legal counsel, and was not given a “meaningful opportunity” to challenge the agency’s decision to re-detain him. His lawyers also said he has no criminal history.
They are asking a federal judge to order either his release or transfer back to Maine.
A Border Patrol spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in court filings government lawyers said the agency acted within its authority to detain him.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
