CHARLOTTE, NC. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents descended upon Charlotte over the weekend, making 81 arrests in the first phase of an operation the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web.”
The enforcement actions, concentrated in immigrant-heavy areas like Central Avenue and South Boulevard, sparked immediate protest and intensified the clash between federal and local authorities.
CBP Commander Greg Bovino announced Sunday morning that 81 people had been arrested so far, stating that “many” have criminal histories and promising to release more information on social media.
DHS Blames ‘Sanctuary’ Policies for Surge
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the operation, stating it targets “violent criminal illegal aliens” and was necessary because local law enforcement was reportedly not detaining people charged with serious crimes. DHS explicitly linked the surge to the city’s policies, claiming local sanctuary laws prevented the honoring of 1,400 detainers, thereby putting “criminal illegal migrants from murderers rapists and pedophiles back on Charlotte’s streets”.
“Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors,” McLaughlin said, adding that the administration will “step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians won’t.”
Local Leaders Slam Operation as ‘Political Theater’
The crackdown drew sharp criticism from local and state Democratic leaders who argued the federal presence was causing widespread panic. One local leader, whose remarks were captured in a Fox News report, slammed the operation as “political theater” and warned it would not make the city safer.
“We know that these agents are not engaging in targeted actions meant to capture violent criminals, they are going for numbers,” the official stated, declaring the action “not democratic, this is not American and this is not Charlotte.”
Charlotte city and county officials, along with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, had issued a joint statement urging peaceful protest, expressing concern that the CBP operation was “causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty” after similar actions in other cities reportedly resulted in the detention of people without criminal records.
Hundreds of people gathered in First Ward Park on Saturday afternoon for the “No Border Patrol in Charlotte March”. Protesters waved signs and chanted, “No justice, no peace, no ICE or police,” condemning the federal deployment. Local leaders had encouraged residents to protest peacefully and record agents’ actions from a distance.
While Democratic leaders like Gov. Josh Stein and Congresswoman Alma Adams have criticized the operation, Republicans have expressed support.
U.S. Rep. Tim Moore said he has “full confidence” in federal law enforcement, and the Mecklenburg GOP criticized Democratic politicians for failing to uphold law and order.
The operation, which follows similar actions in cities like Chicago, Memphis, and Los Angeles, is expected to move to New Orleans next, though the full scope and duration in Charlotte remain unknown.
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