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SINCE KAMALA HARRIS' LAST PRESS CONFERENCE

Immigration-related insecurity rocks the exclusive progressive islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket

The two islands off the coast of Massachusetts are home to the progressive-leaning rich and famous. They were two of the destinations for planes carrying illegal migrants sent by the DeSantis administration.

28-year-old Salvadoran man arrested on Nantucket.ICE.

Published by
Juan Peña

Exclusive islands off the coast of Massachusetts have been the scene of immigrant arrests in the last month. Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, two of the Biden family's favorite vacation destinations and also Democratic strongholds, have had their tranquility disturbed by at least six arrests this October.

The latest of these arrests took place just this Tuesday, on serious charges. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez, a 44-year-old Guatemalan man who was already known to authorities.

Perez-Gomez had been previously indicted on one count of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14 in Nantucket District Court on Aug. 19. After pleading not guilty, Perez-Gomez was released on personal recognizance.

Just three weeks later, on Sept. 11, Perez-Gomez was detained by the Boston team of ICE's Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and remains in ERO custody. "Perez unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without having been inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration officer," stated a press release from ERO and ICE.

Perez-Gomez was arrested after a woman reported being sexually assaulted in the area of Miacomet Road and Ellens Way on Nantucket Island. The incident came to the attention of the Massachusetts State Police, and an officer went to the scene.

Upon the officer's arrival, he saw a visibly upset woman who gave him a brief summary of the events in addition to a description of her assailant. Shortly thereafter, police managed to arrest the main suspect, who was identified by the victim.

Added to this case is that of Elmer Sola, who was indicted on several charges of assault and sexual abuse on minors, just a week before Perez-Gomez and also on the exclusive island of Nantucket. The 49-year-old Salvadoran, first arrested in August and who entered the country illegally, faces 11 counts of sex crimes against minors.

Another, Warley Neto, a 24-year-old Brazilian, was charged with multiple rapes of minors on Martha's Vineyard. Warley Neto entered the country illegally in 2018. He was arrested by authorities in August 2024, formally charging him with five counts of child rape and five others for enticing minors.

Sanctuary islands

"I think many people are concerned about the violent illegal population. ... The biggest thing is obviously not knowing anybody's history if they're here illegally," Toby Brown, chairman of the Nantucket Republican Party, told Fox News. He qualified in his interview with the media outlet that, despite these latest arrests, the legal and illegal immigrants who make up the island community are good people in general.

The Republican Party was at the center of a controversy when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made the decision to charter flights with immigrants to different locations in the country. Among the destinations were Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

After their arrival in the Democratic stronghold, the immigrants were expelled. Martha's Vineyard homeless shelter coordinator Lisa Belcastro said the arrival of these immigrants posed a "challenge" for Martha's Vineyard, noting that the island does not have the capacity to take them in, so they would have to go elsewhere.

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