Larissa Dos Santos Lima is advocating for her 90 Day Fiancé co-star Jay Smith after his problems with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The 21-year-old was released at the end of June from an ICE detention center in Pennsylvania almost a month since he was taken on a Violation of a Protection from Abuse Order charge.
He turned himself to authorities after allegedly violating a protection from abuse order that his estranged wife Ashley Martson had filed against him.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Why ICE detained him, I do not understand,” Dos Santos Lima told Us Weekly. “What a frightening situation he was put in. He did not come to the United States illegally. He came as a K1 and has his rights to stay, even if his marriage did not work out.”
When it comes to the drama between Smith and Martson, Dos Santos Lima did not take sides.
“I stay in touch with Jay, but Ashley and I do not communicate as she has blocked me,” she told the outlet. “Despite that, I am in equal support of both Jay and Ashley. If Ashley was in fear of danger, she has to call the police.”
Martson, who previously filed for divorce from Smith for the second time in April, recently told press why he had been arrested.
“[The document] said right on the front, like, ‘You can’t discuss Ashley or this PFA on social media,’” the 33-year-old told the publication earlier this month. “And he did. He went right on Instagram and did it… ICE had contacted me the day before I did the PFA and said that they were coming… The PFA and the violation just got him arrested basically two days earlier than what he would have been.”
Martson first filed for divorce in January amid cheating rumors, but withdrew the papers nine days later. She filed again in April, with the reality star saying she was “dying inside” during the Happily Ever After? tell-all season finale.
Smith admitted to sleeping with two other women while in the U.S., causing co-star Paola Mayfield to laugh as she asked Martson how many times she filed for divorce.
“It was two, but I don’t know why it’s so f—ing funny,” Martson said as she began to tear up. “I’m sorry that I took vows and I decided to try to work though my marriage. It’s not f—ing funny.”
“Honestly, I’m dying inside, just so you all know. Like, I’ve sat in my bed for two weeks straight, trying to take care of my kids, I lost 23 pounds… I’m hurt,” Martson said. “We’re getting a divorce and it hurts because I love him. I still love him.”
