Most mornings, over a hundred workers and laborers will line up for the ferry for jobs on Martha’s Vineyard. But recently, business owners said some of those workers have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.The summer season is about to start for many businesses on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and the ICE arrests are just part of the story.Jeff Parish is a small business owner on the Cape. He said he is ready to open a new restaurant at the end of the month.”I’m a year-round business and it’s been tough economically,” Parish said. “Finding the right staff to staff it has been really hard.”Paul Niedzwiecki, who is the head of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, said he knows how tough it is for employers to find and keep good workers for the summer season, a season that brings 14,000 jobs and almost $3 billion to Cape Cod businesses.”Immigration is part of the Cape’s DNA; it all really started with the Mayflower,” Niedzwiecki said. “For some employers, it’s like having a good part of your workforce call in sick all of a sudden. Then it shows up on the day when you’re ready to go to work that you don’t have the labor force you need in order to meet your commitments.”This Spring, ICE agents arrested immigrant workers on the Cape and Islands and employers are feeling it.”I think the trades and landscapers and things like that, that are using the immigrants, will be most affected,” Parish said.Parish said he relies on summer help that includes J1 visas for overseas students to help with summer business, as his new eatery is set to open.”July 4, you know, kids get out of school at the end of the month, and July 4 kind of sets it off, and hopefully is a great summer,” Parish said.The Chamber of Commerce said the Trump administration has put J1 visa interviews on hold for later this summer as well as next year.
Most mornings, over a hundred workers and laborers will line up for the ferry for jobs on Martha’s Vineyard. But recently, business owners said some of those workers have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The summer season is about to start for many businesses on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and the ICE arrests are just part of the story.
Jeff Parish is a small business owner on the Cape. He said he is ready to open a new restaurant at the end of the month.
“I’m a year-round business and it’s been tough economically,” Parish said. “Finding the right staff to staff it has been really hard.”
Paul Niedzwiecki, who is the head of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, said he knows how tough it is for employers to find and keep good workers for the summer season, a season that brings 14,000 jobs and almost $3 billion to Cape Cod businesses.
“Immigration is part of the Cape’s DNA; it all really started with the Mayflower,” Niedzwiecki said. “For some employers, it’s like having a good part of your workforce call in sick all of a sudden. Then it shows up on the day when you’re ready to go to work that you don’t have the labor force you need in order to meet your commitments.”
This Spring, ICE agents arrested immigrant workers on the Cape and Islands and employers are feeling it.
“I think the trades and landscapers and things like that, that are using the immigrants, will be most affected,” Parish said.
Parish said he relies on summer help that includes J1 visas for overseas students to help with summer business, as his new eatery is set to open.
“July 4, you know, kids get out of school at the end of the month, and July 4 kind of sets it off, and hopefully is a great summer,” Parish said.
The Chamber of Commerce said the Trump administration has put J1 visa interviews on hold for later this summer as well as next year.
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2025-06-12 23:05:00