Florida man accused of dressing up as ICE agent to scare Brazilian presidential election voters at Miami-Dade College

A central Florida man was arrested after authorities said he dressed up as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent to scare and intimidate voters at a Miami-Dade College polling site for the Brazilian presidential elections Sunday afternoon. 

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Homeland Security Bureau detectives arrested Danilo Alves Silva, 46, from Port Saint Lucie at around 2:10 p.m. at the college's Kendall Campus. It served as an official polling location for Brazilian citizens voting in their home country's presidential election.  

According to his arrest report, deputies on the scene observed Silva aggressively pacing between buildings on campus, wearing a blue ICE hat, sunglasses, a camouflage face mask, a blue ICE raid jacket, tactical boots, and carrying a handheld radio over which he reported his position. 

Deputies from the Sheriff's Homeland Security Bureau, some in plain clothes, followed him as he moved between two voting buildings. They said he approached multiple people who were visibly afraid that an immigration agent was interfering with their election and might deport voters.

When an upset voter and another person carrying a camera confronted Silva about scaring people, Silva responded aggressively, prompting detectives to step in, according to the arrest report.

After he was detained, Silva admitted that he was not a federal agent. Officers tried to identify him by removing his mask and sunglasses, and he admitted that the outfit was a "prop costume" he purchased on Amazon and claimed he was not violating any laws, the report said. He then told investigators he had come to vote wearing a Brazilian jersey, then went to his car after voting, changed into the costume, and returned to see people's reactions while recording on his phone.

Deputies noted in the report that given the political climate and high concentration of foreign citizens at the polling venue, Silva's actions caused potential voter intimidation. 

Detectives noted that Silva threatened and bribed officers when he was detained

While detectives called the Sheriff's Real Time Operations Center to verify his identity and run a records check, the affidavit says he became agitated and was put in the back of the vehicle. There, he allegedly told a detective he would regret the decision and that he would come after the detective and everyone on scene.

He also allegedly offered a bribe, according to the affidavit. "I will get you paid if you let me go," he allegedly said, offering to show the detective something on his phone and saying, "We will pay you money," if they released him first.

Silva was issued a formal trespass warning by the college's chief of security to not return to Miami Dade College's Kendall Campus. He was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is facing charges of felony voting intimidation, bribery, threatening a public servant, unlawful use of police insignia, and disorderly conduct. 

According to Miami-Dade Corrections, he has posted his bond, which was set at a total of $5,650. His report said that he has a hearing on Oct. 19, where prosecutors will decide whether to formally file charges against him.