Migrant crime wave hits Nantucket as Biden celebrates Thanksgiving in wealthy friend's mansion.

Despite the increase in migrant crimes on Nantucket Island, the Biden family still traveled there for their final presidential Thanksgiving on Tuesday.

The Nantucket Current reported that a small crowd observed Air Force One's landing at Nantucket Memorial Airport around 5:59 p.m., followed by the departure of the presidential motorcade with the first family.

The arrival of the president caused a lively mood during the usually peaceful holiday week on the island. According to the local news outlet, hotels in the historic downtown area were fully occupied by White House reporters and Secret Service personnel.

On Monday, nearly a dozen Massachusetts state troopers arrived on motorcycles via the Steamship Authority Ferry, and over the past three days, vehicles and equipment have been dropped off by a series of Air Force C-17's. More than 200 turkey dinners will be cooked for Secret Service agents at Faregrounds Restaurant.

The Bidens have been staying at a private equity billionaire's property in Nantucket for the past three years, continuing their 40-year tradition of spending the holiday on the island, according to The Current.

Earlier this fall, a rash of illegal immigrants were picked up by ICE officials in Nantucket, leading to a subsequent visit to the island.

In September, ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations of Boston picked up five migrants from Guatemala and El Salvador. Since August, the agency has arrested at least eight illegal immigrants accused of various criminal charges on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

On September 10th, a 28-year-old Salvadoran migrant named Bryan Daniel Aldana-Arevalo was charged with one count of child rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery, and a 10-year age difference.

The Boston Field Office Director of ERO, Todd Lyons, stated in a press release that Aldana-Arevalo poses a significant threat to the children of Massachusetts communities, particularly since the victim was only 12 years old, according to The Current.

On that day, Aldana-Arevalo and Elmer Sola, two Salvadoran migrants accused of 11 counts of child sexual abuse, were escorted to the mainland in handcuffs via ferry.

Nine days after being arraigned, charged, and released with an ankle monitor on August 14, Sola allegedly violated the pretrial conditions of his release and returned to court.

On September 11th, law enforcement officials returned to the renowned tourist destination to apprehend two illegal immigrants, Geon do Amaral Belafronte from Brazil and Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez from Guatemala. These individuals had been accused of committing sex crimes against Nantucket residents, as stated by Lyons.

In 2018, Belafronte entered the U.S. lawfully but left of his own volition after an alleged assault in 2021. He re-entered the country illegally and was arrested in March. After his arraignment, Nantucket District Court released him on $500 cash bail or a $5,000 surety bond, according to court records and Boston ERO.

On September 12, the agency apprehended Angel Gabriel Deras-Mejia, a well-known MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, who posed a considerable danger to Nantucket Island's residents, according to Lyons.

In July, Deras-Mejia was arrested at the Discovery Playground on Old South Road for being drunk and disruptive, causing distress to all civilians present. He left children at the scene crying due to an argument with the mother of his child about who would take their child home. In August, he was arrested again for assault and battery on a household member.

Toby Brown, a Nantucket resident for three decades and the chair of the Nantucket GOP, was one of the few on the island who openly voiced concerns about illegal immigration following the arrests.

"We must have this conversation and not simply hold onto the belief that if someone is concerned, they are racist. People should not be afraid to speak up," Brown previously stated to Planet Chronicle Digital. "This island was more preoccupied with the charges against Kevin Spacey in 2016 than the recent sex crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants," he added.

"Not surprising to us, said Brown, were the ICE arrests. Following court reports in the past year, we have seen many violent arrests. It was not surprising that ICE came out here, but it was surprising that they had to come out here."

Brown stated that most immigrants on the picturesque island near Cape Cod are active and involved members of the community, including those who are undocumented. He added that many of his friends and colleagues are immigrants. However, some residents are still worried about those who may have left their countries due to violence.

"Our immigrants, whether legal or not, deserve our gratitude for coming to this country in search of a better life. Despite the challenges they face, they strive to do their best and provide a better future for their children. They contribute to our society and do not wish for the crime that plagues our communities."

He stated that they did not come to Nantucket to live as they did in El Salvador, Mexico, or their original country.