Malden woman pleads for husband’s release after ICE detention

In Malden, the wife of a man detained by ICE is pleading for help—claiming her husband was violently taken away.

The family of Edgar Hernan Elias Escobar invited Boston 25 News into their home Friday. As we first reported on Thursday, relatives say Escobar was on his way to work when ICE agents smashed his car window and put a Taser in his face.

His wife, Leslie Perlera Gonzalez—a U.S. citizen and immigration attorney—says Escobar was in the process of applying for U.S. citizenship. Escobar came to the U.S. from El Salvador 10 years ago.

“Hernan is a hard worker. He has never done anything wrong or evil. He is the kindest person I know,” said Gonzalez.

According to Greater Boston Legal Services, Escobar’s application for legal status was in process, and he has no criminal record.

The detention comes as ICE has ramped up raids in Massachusetts under ‘Operation Patriot 2.0.'

In a statement to Boston 25 News, ICE said:

“On September 17, 2025, ICE conducted an immigration enforcement operation in Malden, Massachusetts to arrest Edgar Hernan Elias-Escobar, an illegal alien from El Salvador. During the arrest, the illegal alien refused to comply with officer commands to rolldown his window. The officers took appropriate action and followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that ensured the success of the operation and prioritized the safety of the public and our officers. Out of an abundance of caution, ICE law enforcement escorted Elias-Escobar to the hospital for evaluations. Medical staff found he had no injuries and discharged him. He was then escorted to the Boston Filed office for processing and will be placed in removal proceedings.

Illegal aliens can take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right, legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

Gonzalez says she was on the phone with her husband during the stop.

“They kept screaming at him to get the [expletive] out of the car. I was on the phone as this was happening and I heard him shatter the window. I heard my husband ask why he had done that.”

ICE confirms Escobar has been placed in removal proceedings. He is currently being held in Plymouth. His family does not know when he might face a judge.

The members of the Malden City Council released a statement Friday afternoon about Escobar’s detainment saying in part:

“As elected officials representing Malden, Massachusetts, we call for the immediate release of Edgar Hernan Elias Escobar from immigration detention. Known as Hernan, he has been a beloved Malden resident for nearly a decade. Hernan works as a roofer in the Greater Boston area, helps care for his aging mother, and he and his wife recently got married. He is a contributing member of the community, and his detention is unnecessary for any immigration proceeding. There is no reason he should have been targeted.”

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