NEW: Dem Rep. Under Fire After Stunning Revelations About SOTU ‘Guest Of Honor’

A Democrat congressman is under fire after a stunning report from the Boston Herald revealed that his “guest of honor” at last month’s State of the Union is an illegal alien who was previously accused of sex crimes.

U.S. Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) brought 19-year-old Marcelo Gomes da Silva of Milford, Massachusetts, as his guest to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. The invitation later drew attention after reports surfaced that Gomes da Silva had been referenced in two Milford Police Department reports from 2021 involving sexual assault and juveniles.

Gomes da Silva immigrated from Brazil to the United States at age 6 on a visitor visa that later transitioned to a student visa, which expired several years prior. Moulton chose him as a guest to highlight immigration enforcement practices under the Trump administration, specifically focusing on Gomes da Silva’s experience with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In May 2025, when Gomes da Silva was 18 and a high school junior, ICE agents detained him while he was driving to volleyball practice. The agents were initially targeting his father, João Paulo Gomes-Pereira, for alleged reckless driving infractions, including speeds over 100 mph in residential areas and other traffic violations dating back to 2014.

Moulton explained his decision to invite Gomes da Silva in a post on X following a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tweet that targeted the guest shortly before the address began. The DHS post referred to Gomes da Silva as “an illegal alien who has no right to be in our nation.”

In response, Moulton wrote: “Marcelo has been in the U.S. since he was 6 years old. Zero criminal record. You’re not making anyone safer by targeting him. You’re just proving how far you’ll go to terrorize young people trying to build a future in this country.”

Due to the DHS post, Moulton’s staff escorted Gomes da Silva out of the House chamber around 9:45 p.m. as a precautionary measure, and he watched the remainder of the speech from Moulton’s office. In a video recorded before the event, Moulton and Gomes da Silva discussed preparations, with Gomes da Silva expressing excitement despite anticipating challenging content in the speech, particularly regarding family separations.

On Thursday, the Boston Herald reported that Gomes da Silva was referenced in two Milford Police Department reports from June and September 2021 related to incidents involving sexual assault and juveniles. The reports were obtained via public records requests to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office and the Milford Police Department.

Police confirmed Gomes da Silva’s involvement in the reports but declined to release further details due to the incidents involving minors. Multiple sources, including Moulton’s office and prior ICE statements from 2025, have consistently noted that he has no criminal record.

Gomes da Silva’s only known prior legal issues were related to his immigration status and a 2023 traffic citation for failing to stop or yield, which resulted in a $100 fine and dropped charges. His father’s driving record includes citations for failing to yield and driving with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender.

Moulton’s office issued a statement on February 25, 2026, attributing Gomes da Silva’s early departure to caution following the DHS tweet, but has not publicly addressed the police reports as of March 5.