“Matías is not a criminal,” says the plea for help spread by his family. The Argentine footballer Matías Pourrain, 34 years old, was detained this Thursday by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when he was about to take a flight within the United States, along with his teammates from Miami United FC, to play a match. The athlete’s family requested the intervention of Argentina’s diplomatic representatives and assured that Pourrain entered the country legally, where he has lived for seven years, and holds a work visa.
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The detention took place at Fort Lauderdale Airport, before boarding a plane to Los Angeles. The arrest is part of the new measures promoted by Donald Trump’s government: a recent directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) orders its agents to detain migrants at airports, even when they are not crossing an international border.
“They had won the Southeast championship with Miami United FC and [Matías] had to travel to Los Angeles to play the Nationals. He was traveling with the whole team, went through Immigration, and when he was about to board the plane, they approached him to ask some questions,” said Juan Pourrain, the footballer’s brother, to the Argentine press. “They told him that if everything was fine, he would be back in 10 minutes, and we found out from the club teammates that they had not returned him,” he added. “They have him locked inside with criminals or anyone who has been illegal or committed crimes.”
The official information provided by ICE only indicates that Matías Alejandro Pourrain is detained and that his relatives and lawyers can contact the Krome detention center in Miami. That place has been denounced for the inhumane conditions detainees suffer.
Pourrain’s family, who started a campaign to request his release, detailed that the footballer “entered the United States legally with a visa” and that he has “a valid work permit, Florida ID, and no criminal record.” “Matías was not trying to enter or leave the United States. He was simply traveling from one U.S. city to another,” his family emphasized in a statement. “This detention is unjust and completely out of place,” they insisted.
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The Brazilian lawyer Regina Borges took on Pourrain’s defense. In talks with various Argentine media, she said the athlete is “scared,” but in good condition. She explained that he is processing his permanent residency in the U.S., “which has not yet been approved,” and clarified that it is “not normal” for a person in his situation to be detained, a measure she attributed to the tightening of Donald Trump’s immigration policies and the number of daily detentions ICE must carry out. According to her, on Monday she will request a hearing before the case judge to present a motion for release on bail.
Matías Pourrain plays for Miami United, a club that competes in the fourth tier of U.S. soccer. He also plays for Showtime FC, a small-sided football team that competes in the Baller League. He previously played for Lyon FC, among other clubs. In Argentina, he played for Real Pilar club, currently in the AFA Primera B.
Pourrain’s case adds to that of another Argentine citizen, Iliana Noeli Lick, 30 years old, detained by ICE when she arrived at Philadelphia airport to watch a match of the Argentine national team at the World Cup on July 11. After almost a month detained, this Friday the U.S. justice system agreed to grant her bail “while her immigration process continues.”
