A California couple’s dream of a peaceful life together was shattered when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Barbara Marques, a Brazilian-born filmmaker, during a routine green card appointment in Los Angeles.
Her husband, Tucker May, a U.S. citizen, claims that ICE agents manipulated the situation to separate her from her legal counsel, leading to her arrest.
The incident occurred in early September, 2025, when Marques attended a scheduled green card meeting at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles. According to May, the meeting progressed smoothly until an officer claimed a copier malfunctioned, prompting Marques to step away from her attorney.
Once separated, she was detained by ICE agents. May expressed his frustration, telling KTLA, “We let her out of our sight. She never came back. We were lied to; we were tricked in order to have her separated from the attorney we brought specifically for any kind of worst-case scenario like this.”
The missed court date
Indie director Barbara Marques has been kidnapped by ICE. She is legally married to a U.S. citizen & was at a green card mtg when she was abducted and prevented from seeing her lawyer. Her husband Tucker May does not know where she is. Please spread the word so he can find her /1 pic.twitter.com/jjVbG1nDXo
— Bill Wolkoff (@flying_lobster) September 28, 2025
Marques was informed that her detention stemmed from a missed court date in 2019, for which she alleges she never received notification. She had entered the U.S. on a tourist visa seven years ago and has since built a life, including a career as a director and actress. Her work includes several films and documentaries under the name Barbara Marques.
Following her arrest, Marques was transferred from the Adelanto facility in Southern California to a detention center in Arizona, and later to Louisiana. Her supporters fear this relocation is an attempt to distance her from legal representation and family, complicating her defense efforts. A GoFundMe campaign launched to support her legal fees has raised over $31,000, with organizers urging the public to contact elected officials on her behalf.
Marques’ attorney, Marcelo Gondim, has filed a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to block her deportation. Meanwhile, May has also drawn attention to the poor conditions his wife is allegedly enduring in custody, citing a lack of essential medical equipment for a chronic back issue and instances of detainees going without food for extended periods.
