U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested former Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem on Monday after he fled Brazil to avoid a 16-year prison sentence for his role in an alleged coup attempt. First came incarceration brought to light by a Brazilian senator,
ICE confirmed Ramagems Imprisonment by his Online prisoner database but offered no additional details. Brazilian authorities said The arrest was the result of “international police cooperation between the Brazilian Federal Police and US law enforcement authorities.” However, it is unclear whether the action is directly related to Brazil’s formal extradition request against Ramagem.
After his imprisonment, Brazilian Senator Jorge Seif filed a motion formal request to the US Embassy in Brazil so that the US would grant Ramagem and his family political asylum. In his letter, Seif argued that Ramagem’s conviction was politically motivated, explaining the “delicate humanitarian and legal situation” and calling on authorities to “take into account Brazil’s political and institutional context, particularly with regard to the alleged persecution of political opponents.”
He also requested that the letter be forwarded to “the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and those responsible for U.S. immigration policy.” Seif did not provide any further information about the reasons Ramagem was taken into custody.
Ramagem is a former head of the Brazilian secret service and federal legislators. He was sentenced sentenced to 16 years in prison in September 2025 for his role in a plot to overthrow the government after prosecutors argued he played a central role in efforts to overturn the results of Brazil’s 2022 presidential election. He was one of 29 people convicted alongside former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence.
As a result of his conviction, Ramagem was stripped of his congressional seat. Before he began his prison sentence, he fled illegally to Guyana and traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport. The Brazilian authorities then classified him as a fugitive and officially requested his extradition on December 30, 2025.
Ramagem, now detained by ICE, is expected to appeal any deportation proceedings. His lawyers are likely to pursue a claim for political asylum on the grounds that he faces persecution in Brazil. Bolsonaro ally Paulo Figueiredo claims The detention had nothing to do with the extradition request and resulted from a routine traffic stop. He added that Ramagem had an asylum application pending and that his legal status in the United States was legitimate.
Given Brazil’s presidential election in October, the US decision on Ramagem’s situation could affect both bilateral relations and the credibility of extradition proceedings.
