A military veteran is departing the United States after immigration enforcement agents apprehended her spouse during a green card visa interview. Matheus Silveira, aged 30, was in the process of explaining his green card application when four ICE agents entered the room at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services building in San Diego, California, and detained him for overstaying his visa. Matheus, a delivery driver, was subsequently taken to an ICE detention center and has remained there since.
Currently, Matheus and his 30-year-old wife Hannah, who previously served as a combat medic in the US army, have decided to relocate to Brazil within a few weeks. Matheus received voluntary departure from the US instead of facing deportation.
Expressing her thoughts on the situation, Hannah described America as “broken” and expressed concerns about the safety of returning to her home country. She emphasized feeling uncertain about the current political climate and the potential repercussions of staying in the US. Hannah, a lawyer from San Diego, lamented having to relinquish everything and expressed a sense of disillusionment with the country she once served.
Matheus initially came to the US in 2019 to study English before meeting Hannah in 2022. The couple swiftly got engaged and married in August 2024 with plans to establish a home and start a family. However, their aspirations were disrupted when Matheus was detained by ICE agents during his green card interview.
Reflecting on their thwarted plans, Hannah shared their intentions of purchasing a house and launching a business together. They had envisioned relocating to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be closer to Hannah’s family. Yet, the current circumstances have instilled fear and a sense of insecurity, prompting their decision to leave the US.
Following Matheus’s arrest during the green card interview on November 22, 2025, he was taken to an ICE detention facility. According to Hannah, Matheus was led to believe by attorneys that proceeding with the green card process despite his expired visa was permissible. Hannah disclosed the harsh conditions at the detention facility, emphasizing the tactics designed to coerce individuals into leaving the country.
Due to a previous charge of driving under the influence, Matheus was denied bond and classified as a “danger to the community.” With the lack of legal recourse, both Hannah and Matheus have opted to relocate to Brazil, Matheus’s home country.
Expressing her disillusionment with the US, Hannah voiced uncertainty about the prospect of returning. She highlighted the personal sacrifices made due to feeling abandoned by her country. Concerns about the political climate and the future under the current administration added to their decision to seek refuge elsewhere.
