ICE, DEA arrest criminal illegal aliens on idyllic New England island

On Tuesday, a joint operation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Nantucket, Massachusetts, a picturesque and affluent summer destination located 30 miles south of Cape Cod. The operation aimed to arrest “illegal criminal aliens,” according to reports. The DEA New England division shared details of the operation on X, a social media platform, stating that its agents assisted ICE and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston in carrying out the arrests. The operation was supported by the U.S. Coast Guard, which provided transportation for federal agents to and from the island, including transporting a suspect back to the mainland.

The Nantucket Current reported that the DEA confirmed the arrest of a man who had previously been charged with kidnapping and domestic assault and battery, as well as a woman. However, authorities did not disclose the suspects’ names or their countries of origin. The DEA’s acting special agent in charge of the New England Field Division issued a brief statement, acknowledging the agency’s collaboration with federal partners on immigration enforcement efforts but declined to provide further details. Fox News Digital reached out to the DEA for additional information but did not receive a response.

The Town of Nantucket issued a press release stating that the Nantucket Police Department had been contacted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the DEA regarding their plans to execute an arrest warrant for a “violent offender.” The federal agencies requested assistance from local law enforcement, leveraging their knowledge of the island’s geography. The Nantucket Police Department’s detective unit helped federal agents identify the addresses they needed to visit and provided transportation support to the DEA.

The DEA released two photos from the operation. One image showed DEA agents aboard a U.S. Coast Guard vessel, their backs turned to the camera. The second photo depicted the two suspects in custody. The operation was part of a broader effort by federal agencies to target individuals accused of serious crimes in the upscale beach towns of New England, particularly those frequented by prominent political families like the Bidens and Obamas.

In September, ICE conducted a series of arrests on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, detaining at least six individuals. These arrests were part of a larger crackdown on illegal immigrants accused of egregious crimes in the area. One notable arrest occurred on September 10, when ICE ERO Boston apprehended Bryan Daniel Aldana-Arevalo, a 28-year-old Salvadoran national charged with raping a child with a 10-year age difference and committing two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. The operation highlighted the ongoing efforts of federal agencies to enforce immigration laws and address criminal activity in the region.

The joint operation on Nantucket underscores the collaborative efforts of federal agencies like ICE, DEA, and the U.S. Coast Guard to enforce immigration laws and combat crime in high-profile areas. While the arrests have drawn attention due to the island’s reputation as a luxury vacation spot, they also reflect broader national discussions about immigration enforcement and public safety. The involvement of local law enforcement, such as the Nantucket Police Department, demonstrates the importance of interagency cooperation in such operations. The arrests have raised questions about the balance between enforcing immigration laws and addressing the concerns of local communities, particularly in areas that are popular with both residents and high-profile visitors.