Federal immigration agents launched an aggressive crackdown in Charlotte over the weekend, raising widespread concerns about racial profiling, due process, and community safety. The operation, known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” is being led by U.S. Border Patrol, whose masked agents arrived in unmarked SUVs carrying rifles. Federal officials said agents made at least 81 arrests within roughly five hours on Saturday, one of the largest single day immigration sweeps in state history. Siembra NC, which has monitored reports across the region, called it “a day of shame,” noting it was the highest number of immigrants arrested in one day on record in North Carolina.
Since the morning of Nov. 15, residents across Charlotte have reported encounters with federal agents in shopping centers, parking lots, supermarkets, churches and residential areas. Witnesses described several people being tackled or restrained, including a man who appeared to collapse during an encounter near a church in east Charlotte and a teen employee who was thrown to the ground and detained outside the Super G Mart in Pineville. Residents also reported agents stopping people in public areas such as sidewalks and store parking lots.
On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of residents gathered at First Ward Park in Uptown to protest the operation, carrying signs in English and Spanish, then marched through the streets calling for Border Patrol to leave Charlotte.
The presence of federal agents also led businesses in immigrant-serving corridors to close. Along Central Avenue, many shops remained shuttered this past Saturday, including Manolo’s Bakery, a longtime fixture in east Charlotte. Owner Manuel “Manolo” Betancur told CNN he saw agents pull up in unmarked SUVs and begin “jumping and taking people down in the street, just people that look like me.” Betancur, a naturalized U.S. citizen, said he now carries his passport because he promised his family he would come home safely. He said he does not want customers exposed to the same danger. “It’s too risky,” he said.
Local officials say they have received almost no information from federal authorities about the enforcement surge, including how long agents will remain in the city or where detainees are being taken. Mecklenburg County Commission chairman Mark Jerrell said the lack of communication is “stoking a lot of fear in our community.” He cited the case of a U.S. citizen whose car window was smashed by agents before he was briefly detained, pointing to what he described as potential profiling. “Why were they stopped? What is this that allows folks just to be detained on the street, essentially profiled?” Jerrell asked.
State and city officials responded publicly over the weekend. In a video statement, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said that while undocumented individuals with violent criminal histories should be removed, “the actions of too many federal agents are doing the exact opposite in Charlotte.” He said residents have seen “masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin color, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots and off of our sidewalks. Going after landscapers decorating a Christmas tree. And entering churches and stores to grab people.” Stein urged residents to record concerning behavior when it is safe and report it to local law enforcement.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department reiterated that it is not participating in the operation. CMPD stated that officers “are not authorized to assist with ICE administrative warrants” and “do not participate in ICE or CBP operations,” adding that the department will only engage when criminal behavior or a criminal warrant falls under its jurisdiction.
Leaders from the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools issued a joint statement saying the federal actions were “causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty” and reaffirming their commitment to protecting “the rights of all people who call Charlotte and Mecklenburg County home.”
Community organizations mobilized as enforcement operations escalated. The Carolina Migrant Network activated a public hotline, confirmed early enforcement locations, and distributed know-your-rights materials in multiple languages. The Charlotte Immigrant Protection Alliance said it would compile verified information and assist families seeking support. “We want our immigrant neighbors to know they are not alone,” the alliance said.
What happens next remains unclear. Federal authorities have not said how long Operation Charlotte’s Web will continue or where detainees are being held. As the situation unfolds, immigrant communities, advocates, and local leaders are urging residents to stay informed, document abuses when safe, support affected families and businesses, and continue calling for transparency, oversight, and the protection of the rights of everyone who calls Charlotte home.