West Hollywood man detained by ICE during immigration check-in

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- A longtime West Hollywood resident from Brazil was suddenly detained by ICE agents during an immigration check-in, and friends fear he could be deported to Equatorial Guinea.

Alex Pereira-Alves, a Brazilian immigrant turned years-long West Hollywood resident who was working as a security guard and personal trainer, is being detained at the Adelanto Detention Center. He's now staring down the fate of swift deportation.

"At the moment, he's being shipped off... with no belongings and not his dog. His dog is the center of his life," said Pereira-Alves' friend, Jeff Markwardt.

NOTE: DHS requested that Pereira-Alves be deported to Equatorial Guinea in Africa. His loved ones previously thought he was going to Guyana. This article has been updated to reflect that change.

Clutching Pereira-Alves' beloved companion, Bella, Markwardt explains how Pereira-Alves' life as he knows it devolved quickly this week.

"On Monday, he got a call from an ICE officer saying, 'You need to report Tuesday, downtown.' Out of the blue, unexpected, sudden," Markwardt said.

His attorney says Pereira-Alves has been living and working in Southern California legally since 2018, when a judge granted withholding on an order of removal from the country, as long as Pereira-Alves remained in good standing, as she says he has.

As with many immigrants, he was placed under electronic monitoring during the second Trump administration but was not due to check in again until November.

Then on Tuesday, Pereira-Alves responded to his sudden summons to the federal building downtown.

"Within five minutes of arrival, they handcuffed him and detained him and said, 'We're removing you.' He said, 'Wait, what?' They said, 'We know you can't be sent to Brazil, but we found Guyana who's willing to take you,'" immigration attorney Jane Oak said.

The family later learned DHS actually requested that Pereira-Alves be deported to Equatorial Guinea in Africa.

"He was terrified. I've never heard him crying, bawling. He told me, 'They're going to kill me,'" Markwardt said.

Now friends and Pereira-Alves' attorney say he was denied due process and are asking for an emergency intervention from a judge.

"That is why we have a basis for this habeas corpus petition. It's because it was done without proper notice. He had a scheduled appointment for Nov. 18, and then all of a sudden calling and telling you to come the next morning only to take you at that time," Oak said.

Alex's attorney says she was planning on filing the motion Thursday night, and they hope a judge acts swiftly because they don't know how much time they have.

Eyewitness News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security regarding the case but has not received a response.