The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been actively monitoring Murras's case since late March 2025.

Rui Murras, a 32-year-old Portuguese national with permanent residency in the U.S., was detained by immigration agents upon returning from a trip abroad.

The involvement of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores growing concerns about the treatment of the approximately 12.8 million Green Card holders in the U.S.

Murras, who has lived in the U.S. since he was two years old, is currently in custody at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Maine.

His attorney has pointed out that even with a green card, prior charges can lead to deportation, regardless of their resolution status.

Murras's family believes his detention is connected to a drug charge from 2012, which has since been resolved, raising concerns about his deportation risk despite his permanent resident status.

Reports suggest that U.S. authorities may justify his detention based on a 2012 marijuana-related charge that was dismissed eight months later.

His sister-in-law, Sofia Cabral-Murras, has initiated a fundraising campaign to cover legal expenses, emphasizing Murras's good character and asserting that he does not deserve imprisonment during this process.

Murras's situation is part of a broader trend of increasing deportations of permanent residents in the U.S., particularly since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency.

Legal experts warn that even dismissed charges can have serious implications for legal residents, highlighting that U.S. citizenship is the only effective safeguard against deportation.

In March 2025, another Green Card holder, a German citizen, was also detained upon returning from Luxembourg, illustrating a rising trend in such cases.

The Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs has acknowledged the independence of U.S. judges and emphasized the importance of respecting the judicial process regarding Murras's case.