Nantucket, Massachusetts – After a month of mass arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement of illegal immigrants on this idyllic island on suspicion of sex crimes and assaults, many residents fear their homeland has changed forever. I’m worried about that.
Five immigrants from Guatemala and El Salvador were arrested in separate operations during Boston’s removal operations this month. Elmer Sola and Brian Daniel Aldana Arevalo were charged with sex crimes against children, the agency said. Felix Alberto Perez Gomez and Jean de Amaral Belafronte were charged with sex crimes against adults. and Angel Gabriel delas Mejia, a recorded member of the notorious gang MS-13.
Immigrants, many of whom are on H2B visas for seasonal work, are an integral part of Nantucket’s tourism industry and make up a large portion of the summer vacation spot’s annual population. Several local bars, like The Muse, host sold-out Latin nights every week. According to online district data, 41.5% of Nantucket public school students speak a language other than English at home.
Nantucket parents worried about children due to spike in immigrant crime: “As a father, I’m really scared.”
Residents told Fox News Digital that their communities welcome legal immigrants, but many expressed deep concerns about illegal immigration. They say these unwelcome newcomers have brought border disputes to the tiny island off Cape Cod.
“I’ve lived here for 53 years and I’ve seen a huge increase in crime. I’ve never seen child abuse like this in years,” said a man in his 70s. asked. I asked him not to give his name,” he said outside one of Nantucket’s two grocery stores. “I had no idea where my house keys were. Now I have security cameras.”
“When I moved here in the 1970s, Nantucket was a very conservative place. (Now) most of the American-born people here are completely liberal. We don’t talk politics. I have a good friend who can’t do that,” the man said.
Boats are photographed along the pier on Nantucket Island. (David McGlynn, Fox News Digital)
“They don’t want to face reality. The reality is that opening borders has led to an influx of illegal aliens. When you look at the statistics, crime is rampant,” he said, referring to data released by ICE. he said. This week’s MPs.
“The answer is, ‘What can we do about it?’ I said, ‘Send it back,’ and I was laughed at,” he said.
Multiple residents told Fox News Digital that the worst incident in the past was when an intoxicated tourist accidentally walked into the wrong gray-thatched house. However, the crime blotters in local newspapers are said to be more detailed and increasing in volume.
John Klatt, who works at Tuscan Excavation, told FOX News Digital he was glad ICE made the arrest earlier this month.


The Muse is a local bar on Nantucket that hosts a night full of Latino crowds every Saturday. (David McGlynn, Fox News Digital)
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“My company is one of the largest drilling companies on the island,” he said. “We don’t hire (illegal aliens), so it doesn’t really affect us. But I’m sure it affects a lot of other people (here).”
“We’re hearing from minorities, ‘Oh, they’re hitting us,'” he said. “But when I look at their crimes, I’m not angry about it.”
Fox News Digital spoke to about a dozen undocumented immigrants on the island, mostly Salvadorans, who say targeted arrests of repeat criminals last month have left them fearing for their livelihoods. spoke.
“This is scary for a lot of people,” said Esmeralda Martinez, who is serving her second term on the Nantucket Island School Board and is the only Latina woman ever to hold elected office on the island. He spoke to the ocean currents. “People hide out of fear that people will come here for them just because they are not here legally, even though most of them have no criminal record. That’s causing a lot of panic.”


Nantucket Island is home to approximately 14,000 residents. (David J. McGlynn, Fox News Digital)
Martinez did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“We’re not trying to round up all the illegal aliens, just the violent members of MS-13,” said another resident, who requested anonymity, outside Chicken Box, an event venue on the island. He told FOX News Digital. Locals often kill time during the day.
Island resident Roland Voyage said the ICE arrests have not affected his sense of safety.
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“I park the car and leave the keys in the car. Where will the ferry company take the car? To be honest, my friends and family are not affected. “(But) it’s nice to see that ICE is being affected and doing its job,” he said.
But Jacques Faria, 61, a Brazilian who lived on Nantucket Island and immigrated to the United States legally when he was 20, said other immigrants who are “not on the right path” are causing “problems.” he said.
“There was a robbery in my neighborhood, and these people left their keys in their cars,” Faria said. “These guys just happen to be Brazilian. I know, I’m Brazilian.”
“I don’t discriminate. I am one of them. But I do discriminate against people who just want to take advantage of the system,” he said. “I’m a Republican. I completely agree with President Trump and the mass deportation of immigrants.”


Nantucket police conducted an investigation on the island this month that led to ERO Boston’s arrest. The agency forwarded a request for comment from Fox News Digital to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (David McGlynn, Fox News Digital)
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“There are a lot of bad people here,” Faria said in reference to illegal immigration. “Most[illegal immigrants]are poor people, which means they don’t have much education and they don’t have much to contribute. I don’t really like them.”
“Currently, I pay very expensive health insurance. Many people on the island get it for free,” Faria said. “People who don’t have any documents and don’t pay taxes get free health care, and I don’t.”