Federal Immigration Operations Sweep Through Charlotte
Federal authorities confirmed Saturday that a significant immigration enforcement operation had commenced in Charlotte, North Carolina, with agents conducting arrests across multiple locations throughout the city. The previously unannounced surge of Department of Homeland Security personnel began Friday, catching many residents by surprise.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the operations in an official statement, declaring that "Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors." She emphasized that the department was "surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed."
Local Officials Condemn Federal Actions
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles joined other local leaders in sharply criticizing the federal operations. In a joint statement with County Commissioner Mark Jerrell and Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member Stephanie Sneed, Lyles expressed concern that the actions "are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty" within the community.
The officials affirmed their commitment to all residents, stating "We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives." The statement was shared publicly on social media platforms, including Twitter.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat operating with a Republican-majority legislature, added his voice to the criticism on Friday. He noted that "the vast majority of those detained in these operations have no criminal convictions, and some are American citizens." Stein urged residents to document any "inappropriate behavior" they witness and report it to local law enforcement.
Community Impact and Civil Rights Concerns
Charlotte's diverse population of more than 900,000 residents includes over 150,000 foreign-born individuals, according to local officials. The immigration enforcement actions have created widespread anxiety throughout these communities.
Paola Garcia, a spokesperson with Camino—a bilingual nonprofit serving Charlotte families—reported observing a noticeable increase in U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducting traffic stops since Friday. "Basically what we're seeing is that there have been lots of people being pulled over," Garcia stated. "I even saw a few people being pulled over on the way to work yesterday, and then just from community members seeing an increase in ICE and Border Patrol agents in the city of Charlotte."
The operations have raised serious constitutional questions, particularly after several U.S. citizens reported being targeted. JD Mazuera Arias, a recently elected Charlotte City Council member, questioned the presence of federal immigration agents in the city, noting "This is Customs and Border Patrol. We are not a border city, nor are we a border state. So why are they here? This is a gross violation of constitutional rights for not only immigrants, but for U.S. citizens."
American Citizen Reports Harassment by Border Patrol
One of the most concerning incidents involved Willy Aceituno, a 46-year-old Honduran-born U.S. citizen and Charlotte resident. Aceituno described being stopped twice by Border Patrol agents while on his way to work. During the second encounter, agents broke his car window, forcibly removed him from his vehicle, and threw him to the ground.
"I told them, 'I'm an American citizen,'" Aceituno told The Associated Press. "They wanted to know where I was born, or they didn't believe I was an American citizen." After being taken into a Border Patrol vehicle, he was eventually released when he provided documentation proving his citizenship. Aceituno later filed a police report regarding the broken window.
Photographic evidence captured Aceituno making his report with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer N. Sherill following the Saturday incident.
Front Yard Encounter Raises Privacy Concerns
In east Charlotte, resident Rheba Hamilton witnessed two Customs and Border Patrol agents approach workers hanging Christmas lights in her front yard on Saturday morning. The 73-year-old recorded the encounter on her cellphone as one agent attempted to speak with the workers in Spanish.
"This is real disconcerting, but the main thing is we've got two human beings in my yard trying to make a living. They've broken no laws, and that's what concerns me," Hamilton stated. She described the incident as "an abuse of all of our laws" and something "unlike anything I have ever imagined I would see in my lifetime."
Hamilton had initially suggested postponing the work due to rumors of immigration enforcement in Charlotte, but the contractor decided to proceed. "Half an hour later he's in our yard, he's working and Border Patrol rolls up," she recalled. "They're here because they were looking for easy pickings. There was nobody here with TV cameras, nobody here protesting, there's just two guys working in a yard and an old white lady with white hair sitting on her porch drinking her coffee." The agents ultimately left without making arrests.
Economic Impact and Community Response
The federal operations have begun affecting local businesses and the city's economy. Several establishments closed their doors amid word of the possible immigration crackdown. Local organizations have mobilized to prepare immigrant communities, providing information about legal rights and considering peaceful protests.
Council member Mazuera Arias was among approximately a dozen people standing watch Saturday outside a Latin American bakery in his east Charlotte district. He noted that a nearby bakery had closed due to the enforcement actions, highlighting how the operations are "hurting both people's livelihoods and the city's economy."
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department had previously emphasized that it is not involved in federal immigration enforcement operations. The Trump administration has defended similar enforcement actions in other cities like Los Angeles and Chicago as necessary for combating crime and upholding immigration laws.
As the situation continues to develop, community leaders are urging residents to remain vigilant and document any concerning interactions with federal agents while local officials work to address the growing tensions between federal enforcement priorities and community wellbeing.
