Home / Crime and Justice / Harvard Professor Leaves US After Visa Revoked for Near-Synagogue Incident
Harvard Professor Leaves US After Visa Revoked for Near-Synagogue Incident
7 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Professor Carlos Portugal Gouvêa has departed the US after his visa was revoked.
- The incident involved firing a pellet gun near a synagogue during Yom Kippur.
- He was arrested and agreed to leave voluntarily instead of facing deportation.
Carlos Portugal Gouvêa, a visiting law professor from Brazil at Harvard, has left the United States following the revocation of his visa. Federal officials confirmed that Gouvêa was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and subsequently agreed to leave the country voluntarily. He arrived back in Brazil on Thursday.
The incident occurred in October during Yom Kippur when Gouvêa, who stated he was shooting at rats, fired a pellet gun near a synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts. Homeland Security officials described the event as antisemitic, though the synagogue itself indicated it did not appear to be motivated by antisemitism.
Gouvêa faced charges including illegally discharging a pellet gun, vandalism, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace. Most charges were dismissed, with a plea agreement leading to pretrial probation for six months on the discharge charge and restitution for a broken car window. His J-1 visa was revoked by the State Department on October 16.
