The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Saturday that it has initiated immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte, N.C. “Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed,” she added.
Local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles (D), criticized the federal action in a joint statement, saying the operations “are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty.” “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 said, also signed by County Commissioner Mark Jerrell and Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member Stephanie Sneed.
Federal authorities had not previously announced the enforcement activity in Charlotte. However, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said Thursday that he had been informed by federal officials that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel would arrive either Saturday or early next week. “We value and welcome the renewed collaboration and open communication with our federal partners,” McFadden said, emphasizing the importance of staying informed and maintaining community trust.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said ahead of the federal activity that it is not participating in the enforcement operations. Charlotte, a city of more than 900,000 residents, includes over 150,000 foreign-born individuals, according to local officials. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) noted that most of the people detained in recent federal operations do not have criminal convictions, and some are U.S. citizens, urging residents to document any “inappropriate behavior.”
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to address violent crime and illegal immigration, deploying National Guard troops to cities including Chicago, Washington, D.C., Memphis, and Los Angeles, while additional enforcement actions have been carried out. Attempts to deploy federal personnel in Portland were blocked by the courts. Late last month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem denied Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s request to suspend ICE operations over Halloween, arguing enforcement primarily targets criminal illegal aliens to keep children safe.
“No, we’re going to be out on the streets in full force,” Noem said, emphasizing arrests of murderers, child predators, and other criminals. Earlier this month, Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez expressed support for Trump’s increased federal deployment, noting many constituents favor additional resources to protect both ICE agents and community members amid ongoing enforcement efforts.
