This article is a part of 12-piece series for The Times’ 2025 “Year in Review.
This has been a year of fear and uncertainty for many in the immigrant community, after intense crackdowns from the top of the federal government. In late January, a false rumor that federal immigration enforcers were on the Island left many workplaces devoid of their usual employees, who were worried they would be swept up by the intensifying deportations. Parents were worried whether their children would be taken away at school. Months passed without the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting operations on the Vineyard, but that changed in May.
Federal agents conducted a broadstroke sweep of the Vineyard, halting work trucks and checking for paperwork. The operation led to at least 20 people, nearly all Brazilian immigrants, being detained on the Island and transported elsewhere by the Coast Guard.
Luan Padilha dos Santos was in a truck with three others on Tuesday that was pulled over. Dos Santos and one other were detained and sent to an ICE detention center before going to a correctional facility in Plymouth. —Robyn Twomey
The raid outraged many Islanders, some of whom directly confronted ICE agents while they were on the Vineyard. Bits of information came out following the raid, and one of our reporters was able to get in touch with one of the immigrants detained in ICE’s processing center in Burlington, who described a harsh and unsanitary holding environment and an uncertainty about what might happen to him.
Some detained immigrants were deported back to their countries, while others fought to stay in the U.S. Many in the Island’s Brazilian community found solace through their church community, but there was an upswell of anxiety when ICE threatened to implement its Patriot 2.0 operation in Massachusetts in September. While there wasn’t another hit on the Vineyard, the owner of an Island restaurant was detained by federal agents in Falmouth.
Other headlines:
Amid deportation fears, immigrant parents worry about children in school
ICE rumors spread Island-wide fear
False rumor shows fear of deportation on Vineyard
Amid deportation fears, Brazilian immigrants seek solace in faith and conservative values
ICE agents detain 20 people on Vineyard during Island’s sweep
Islanders push back on ICE detentions
Immigration odyssey: ICE detainees deported to Brazil, one fights to stay
From inside detention facility, Vineyard Brazilian immigrant shares story of his arrest
Fear rises with new ICE threats
Local restaurant owner swept up in Patriot 2.0