The Department of Homeland Security is pushing back against mainstream media coverage of a 13-year-old illegal immigrant arrested by ICE — revealing that the Massachusetts teen was a public safety threat with a violent criminal record and suspected gang ties.
News outlets framed the story as an instance of ICE separating a child from his family. But DHS officials told Fox News Digital the boy, Brazilian national Arthur Yuri De Almeida Silva Berto, is a member of the “33” gang with 11 prior police complaints, including theft, assault, vandalism, and gang-related activity.
Berto was arrested Oct. 9 after a classmate reported that he showed her a concealed gun at school and threatened to “shoot and kill” another student, according to Everett Police. Officers later found him with a 5½-inch knife before contacting federal authorities. ICE took him into custody that day, citing his gang involvement and repeat criminal behavior.
Court documents show Berto entered the U.S. illegally with his family in September 2021 near San Luis, Arizona, and was released under the Biden administration. Since then, police have linked him to multiple incidents — including vehicle theft, “flash mob”-style shoplifting, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
“Here are the facts: This individual and suspected gang member posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, federal law enforcement is restoring common sense and law and order to our streets.”
