U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted extensive operations in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket on Tuesday, resulting in the arrest of around 40 individuals.
Collaborating with the FBI and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE performed traffic stops and apprehended individuals throughout the day, including an MS-13 gang member and a registered sex offender.
While ICE provided a brief statement regarding the operation, they did not disclose specific details about the individuals apprehended or the exact number detained on Martha’s Vineyard alone.
Patricia Hyde, the acting ICE Boston field office director, emphasized the agency’s commitment to public safety, stating, “ICE and our federal partners made a strong stand for prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing illegal aliens from our New England neighborhoods.”
Social media reports and witnesses indicated that officers, including those in unmarked vehicles, conducted stops across various towns on the Island, sparking a surge of concern among residents and passing motorists.
In one instance, a masked FBI officer was recorded interacting with a driver in a work van.
Thiago Alves, owner of L&R Electrical Services based in Rhode Island, confirmed that one of his employees, who holds a green card, was stopped by FBI and ICE agents upon arriving on the Island.
The employee was released after questioning, though officers sought documentation related to his immigration status.
“My guy said they are stopping all the work vans,” Alves noted. “It’s nothing against [us]; it’s pretty much everyone.”
Other tradespeople reported similar experiences, raising concerns about the broader implications of the operation.
Witnesses observed arrests being made in locations such as Vineyard Haven and noted that officers wearing DEA insignia were also among those making the stops.
An anonymous local resident recounted seeing officers apprehending an individual near a popular grocery store early in the morning.
Emily Moehnke, who was driving her daughter to the ferry, also witnessed the traffic stops and arrest activities near the cemetery.
Both the DEA and FBI confirmed their support for ICE but directed further inquiries to the immigration agency.
ICE refrained from providing additional comment following their initial statement released late Tuesday evening.
In Oak Bluffs, police Chief Jonathan Searle revealed that he was not notified by ICE regarding the actions taking place on the Island and pointed out that immigration matters typically fall outside his department’s jurisdiction unless criminal activity is involved.
Searle remarked, “We get involved if there’s criminal activity. Things with immigration are out of our jurisdiction.”
In the afternoon, agents congregated at the Menemsha Coast Guard station, where they transported detainees to the mainland.
Local residents expressed their frustration and anger towards the agents as they left, with one woman confronting them directly, saying, “You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
Tyler Vanderhaden, a member of the Coast Guard, came out to address the gathering crowd, explaining that their station was directed to assist with the transportation.
“I’m sorry this is causing distress in the community,” he stated. “However, we do have an order to support [the other agencies].”
In light of the arrests, local institutions were on high alert, prompting the Vineyard public schools to monitor the situation closely, given the significant immigrant student population.
Superintendent Richard Smith communicated with parents via email, assuring them that student well-being was a top priority.
Smith emphasized the district’s established protocols, stating, “We want to remind you that we have protocols in place, aligned with state laws and District policies, to handle any requests for student or family information, as well as access to students, staff, or school property.”
He reaffirmed that these protocols extend to requests from immigration authorities.
The recent actions by ICE are not unprecedented on the Vineyard; in September of last year, the agency detained a Salvadoran man wanted for “crimes against humanity” and a Brazilian man with connections to international drug trafficking.
On the same day as Tuesday’s operation, agents executed similar efforts on Nantucket, where several additional detentions occurred.
Earlier in 2023, circulating rumors regarding a possible ICE raid had stoked fears among the immigrant community on the Island.
Immigration attorney Rachel Self, a Chappaquiddick resident, commented on the changing focus of ICE operations.
“The perception has shifted dramatically in the last four months,” she noted. “Under the previous administration, the focus was primarily on individuals with serious criminal records; now, virtually anyone is at risk of being detained.”
Self advised non-citizens residing in the area to be aware of their rights, prepare in case of an arrest, and continue pursuing their path toward full citizenship.
image source from：https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/05/28/ice-arrests-marthas-vineyard-nantucket-massachusetts-immigration
