BOSTON — Carlos Portugal Gouvêa, a Harvard University visiting law professor from Brazil, has departed the United States after his visa was revoked following an incident involving a pellet gun near a synagogue during Yom Kippur.
Gouvêa's departure on Thursday came after he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the previous day. According to his attorney, Joseph D. Eisenstadt, Gouvêa opted to leave voluntarily rather than face deportation.
The incident took place on October 1, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when Gouvêa fired shots near the Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, Massachusetts. Initially, authorities described the act as antisemitic, although the temple later stated there was no apparent motivation behind it, asserting that Gouvêa was reportedly unaware he was shooting near a religious site or during a holy day.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the incident as an affront to American values, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe environment free from acts of violence.
Brookline police reports indicate that private security at the temple heard shots fired before spotting Gouvêa behind a tree with a pellet rifle. When confronted by police, Gouvêa stated he was hunting rats in his neighborhood.
Gouvêa initially pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including illegal discharge of a weapon and vandalism. Some charges were later dismissed as part of a plea agreement that required him to serve six months of pretrial probation and pay restitution for damages caused.
Following the incident, Gouvêa's J-1 visa—designated for exchange visitors—was revoked by the State Department amid allegations surrounding his actions.
At the time of the incident, he was listed as teaching courses on corruption and sustainable capitalism at Harvard's law school while also holding a position as an associate professor at the University of São Paulo Law School.
The Harvard community has remained silent on Gouvêa’s case, while the University of São Paulo's Law School Director defended him, citing his longstanding advocacy for human rights and connections to the Jewish community.
Gouvêa's departure on Thursday came after he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the previous day. According to his attorney, Joseph D. Eisenstadt, Gouvêa opted to leave voluntarily rather than face deportation.
The incident took place on October 1, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when Gouvêa fired shots near the Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, Massachusetts. Initially, authorities described the act as antisemitic, although the temple later stated there was no apparent motivation behind it, asserting that Gouvêa was reportedly unaware he was shooting near a religious site or during a holy day.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the incident as an affront to American values, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe environment free from acts of violence.
Brookline police reports indicate that private security at the temple heard shots fired before spotting Gouvêa behind a tree with a pellet rifle. When confronted by police, Gouvêa stated he was hunting rats in his neighborhood.
Gouvêa initially pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including illegal discharge of a weapon and vandalism. Some charges were later dismissed as part of a plea agreement that required him to serve six months of pretrial probation and pay restitution for damages caused.
Following the incident, Gouvêa's J-1 visa—designated for exchange visitors—was revoked by the State Department amid allegations surrounding his actions.
At the time of the incident, he was listed as teaching courses on corruption and sustainable capitalism at Harvard's law school while also holding a position as an associate professor at the University of São Paulo Law School.
The Harvard community has remained silent on Gouvêa’s case, while the University of São Paulo's Law School Director defended him, citing his longstanding advocacy for human rights and connections to the Jewish community.
