• Brazilian social media influencer with 1.3 million TikTok followers arrested by ICE in New Jersey
• Júnior Pena previously told followers "they're all crooks" when defending Trump's immigration policies
• Detention follows missed court hearing due to administrative error in rescheduling records

NEWARK, NJ (TDR) — A Brazilian social media influencer who vocally defended President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and falsely claimed federal agents only target criminals has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, drawing widespread criticism for what many are calling an act of political self-sabotage.

Júnior Pena, whose full name is Eustáquio da Silva Pena Júnior, was taken into custody Saturday by ICE agents in New Jersey and transported to the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, according to the Portuguese-language newspaper Brazilian Times.

Influencer's Pro-Trump Message Backfires

The 26-year-old content creator, who has amassed 1.3 million followers on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram by chronicling what he calls the "reality of the USA" from an immigrant's perspective, had been outspoken in his support for Trump's hard-line immigration enforcement policies.

In videos posted before his arrest, Pena urged his predominantly Brazilian audience not to fear ICE operations, insisting that federal officers were only rounding up dangerous criminals.

"I support Donald Trump – I like the guy," Pena declared in one video that has since gone viral following his detention.

"I wanted to tell you not to be so scared, there are many people scared. There are many influencers spreading fear among immigrants without having facts, evidence, or proof that so-and-so was deported," Pena told followers in another video.

When discussing those being targeted by immigration enforcement, Pena made a sweeping claim that has proven bitterly ironic given his current circumstances.

"They're all crooks, the lot of them," the influencer said, echoing rhetoric from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about targeting "the worst of the worst."

Administrative Error Led To Detention

According to a friend who spoke with Brazilian Times, Pena was detained due to an administrative issue related to the postponement of an immigration hearing that was not correctly recorded in the system, causing Pena's name to appear as absent when he missed the rescheduled court date.

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The influencer, who immigrated to the United States in 2009 according to The Guardian, has lived in the country for 16 years and openly identifies as an immigrant on his social media platforms.

His attorney, Andrew Lattarulo, is reportedly working to prevent Pena from being transferred to another state detention facility while the case proceeds. The legal strategy is expected to focus on both procedural irregularities in the court system and Pena's long-standing U.S. residence since 2009.

Data Contradicts "Only Criminals" Claim

Pena's assertion that immigration enforcement exclusively targets criminals stands in stark contrast to available data on ICE deportations.

Records released by the Deportation Data Project show that the share of detainees with criminal convictions fell to approximately 28 percent by mid-October 2025 during crackdowns that primarily targeted Democrat-run cities. This means the majority of those detained had no criminal record beyond immigration violations.

According to a December 2025 report citing Brazil's Federal Police, 2,268 Brazilian nationals were deported from the United States in 2025—the highest number recorded since data became available in 2020. This represents a significant increase from 1,640 deportations in 2024.

Brazilian Community Adopts "Survival Tactics"

The Brazilian magazine Veja reported that many Brazilians in the United States have adopted what it calls "survival tactics" to avoid detection by immigration authorities.

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These include not speaking Portuguese in public and attempting to pass themselves off as "average Americans" to avoid drawing attention. The magazine described an atmosphere of fear in communities where anyone who "looks foreign" could become a target regardless of their immigration status.

"There is an atmosphere of fear on the streets where anyone who 'looks foreign' can be a target … irrespective of their [immigration] status," Veja reported.

Social Media Reaction: "Self-Sabotage"

Pena's detention sparked widespread commentary on social media, with many Portuguese and English-speaking users pointing out the irony of a Trump-supporting influencer being caught up in the very immigration crackdown he defended.

Brazilian social media users described Pena's situation as an extraordinary case of "self-sabotage" that "needs to be studied," noting that the influencer promoted a vision of the American dream that he never fully achieved himself.

One viral Portuguese-language tweet stated: "There's no way not to laugh at Junior Pena. The Brazilian who campaigns for Trump and ends up arrested by ICE. It's a level of self-sabotage that needs to be studied."

GoFundMe Campaign Reaches Target

Friends of the detained influencer launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal representation and court expenses. Campaign organizer Jorge Saboia wrote that every dollar would make a real difference in ensuring Pena has the best chance to resolve his case and return to the community.

"Every dollar will make a real difference in ensuring Junior has the best chance possible to resolve his case and return to the community he's always supported," Saboia wrote.

The campaign reached its $32,000 target by Monday, demonstrating support from Pena's followers despite the controversial circumstances of his detention.

Broader Context Of Immigration Enforcement

Pena's detention comes amid heightened anti-ICE protests across the country following the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operations. The crackdown has also been criticized at events including the Grammy Awards, where multiple artists wore "ICE Out" pins and condemned federal immigration tactics.

Legal analysts note that Pena's case highlights the complex intersection of immigration advocacy, social media influence, and enforcement realities. His detention serves as a cautionary example of how public commentary promoting government policies can collide with personal legal vulnerability in unexpected ways.

The case also raises questions about how immigration enforcement is portrayed online, particularly by influencers whose platforms extend into political advocacy while they themselves navigate uncertain immigration status.

Does Júnior Pena's detention expose the disconnect between Trump's immigration rhetoric and enforcement reality, or does it simply reflect an administrative error catching up with an immigrant who missed a court date?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from The New Republic's coverage of the ICE arrest, The Daily Beast's reporting on the MAGA influencer detention, Raw Story's coverage of the Trump-loving influencer, The Guardian's reporting cited by multiple outlets, BritBrief's coverage of the Brazilian influencer arrest, IBTimes UK analysis of the case, Daily Kos reporting on the pro-MAGA influencer, and Adnkronos English coverage.

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