The granddaughter of celebrated author E.B. White has publicly condemned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for appropriating the title of her grandfather's beloved children's classic Charlotte's Web for an immigration enforcement operation.
Family Outrage Over Operation Name
Martha White, the literary heir to her grandfather's legacy, expressed profound disappointment that federal authorities would associate the gentle tale of friendship and compassion with aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. The controversy emerged when DHS launched Operation Charlotte's Web, targeting immigration violations in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"Using the title of this beloved story about loyalty and protecting the vulnerable for an operation that separates families and creates fear in communities is deeply inappropriate," White stated in her public criticism. She emphasized that her grandfather's work has always represented values of community, protection, and kindness toward others.
Immigration Operation Details
The DHS operation that sparked the controversy involved Homeland Security Investigations officers conducting enforcement actions in the Charlotte area. During one incident documented in November 2025, officers pursued two individuals who fled after being stopped while selling flowers roadside.
Photographic evidence from Ryan Murphy/Getty Images via CNN Newsource shows a DHS investigator actively searching for the individuals who escaped the initial encounter. The operation represents part of broader immigration enforcement efforts that have drawn criticism from various advocacy groups.
Literary Legacy Versus Government Enforcement
E.B. White's Charlotte's Web has remained a cornerstone of children's literature since its publication in 1952. The story follows the relationship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte, who works to save him from slaughter through messages woven in her web.
Martha White highlighted the stark contrast between the book's central themes and the operation's purpose. "My grandfather wrote about the power of words to save a life, not to justify operations that might destroy families," she remarked. The family concerns center on what they see as a fundamental misunderstanding of the book's message about compassion and inter-species cooperation.
The White family has not indicated whether they will pursue legal action regarding the use of the book title, but Martha White's public statement serves as a strong condemnation of what she characterizes as the misappropriation of a literary treasure for purposes contrary to its original spirit.
