Charlotte Border Patrol surge saw 370+ arrests; DHS denies targeting afterschool site as 20% of students absent
A multi-day Border Patrol surge dubbed "Charlotte’s Web," led by Commander Gregory Bovino, resulted in more than 370 arrests in Charlotte as DHS said agents were focused on criminal noncitizens while local leaders and residents reported widespread fear, protests and community disruption. Charlotte officials said about 20% of students were absent and an East Charlotte afterschool program suspended operations amid the activity — a move DHS denied, saying it did not target a school or make arrests at that facility.
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📌 Key Facts
- Mecklenburg County officials said federal authorities notified them that Border Patrol agents would deploy to Charlotte in a surge codenamed “Operation Charlotte’s Web”; Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who led prior Chicago and Los Angeles operations, was reported on the ground.
- The operation began over the weekend of Nov. 15 with arrests across Charlotte; DHS initially reported “over 130” arrests in the first 48 hours, federal/state tallies later exceeded 250 across North Carolina, and New York Times reporting put Charlotte-only arrests at more than 370.
- DHS framed the surge as targeting “criminal illegal aliens,” citing alleged gang membership and offenses (DHS said 44 criminal noncitizens were taken in the first 48 hours) but provided limited public detail about most arrestees.
- Local law‑enforcement agencies — including the Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office — said they were not asked to assist, do not enforce federal immigration law, and were not conducting the CBP operation; the sheriff later said the surge had concluded while routine ICE enforcement would continue.
- The enforcement caused major community disruption: Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Schools reported large student‑absence spikes (figures reported ranged from ~20,935 — about 15% — to roughly 30,000 — about 22%; city officials cited ~20%), an East Charlotte afterschool program (Ourbridge) suspended in‑person services (DHS said it did not target the site) and shifted to food and essentials delivery, small businesses temporarily closed, and residents avoided appointments and work.
- Eyewitnesses and video showed Border Patrol activity at churches, apartment complexes, construction sites, stores and transit; reports included plainclothes officers, requests for armored vehicles/special teams, drone use, and several alarming incidents — U.S. citizens briefly detained or forced to prove citizenship after windows were smashed, two vehicle‑ramming incidents (one injuring an officer) and recovery of a firearm.
- Federal activity expanded into other North Carolina cities (Raleigh and reported Durham activity) and DHS documents/sources indicated future deployments (including a planned New Orleans operation nicknamed “Catahoula Crunch”); a DHS official said the Charlotte surge was expected to wind down later in the week.
- Local and state political leaders condemned the tactics as stoking fear (urging agents to target violent criminals and residents to document abuses), community groups organized mutual aid and monitoring (including training volunteers to safely record sweeps), and protests confronted agents during the operation.
📚 Contextual Background
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the federal agency responsible for apprehending and detaining people suspected of being undocumented immigrants in the United States.
📰 Sources (35)
In Charlotte, Border Patrol Arrests Send Families Into Hiding
New information:
- NYT reports more than 370 arrests across Charlotte tied to the Border Patrol operation, exceeding earlier statewide tallies.
- Charlotte city officials say about 20% of the city's student population was absent from school on Monday amid the operation.
- An East Charlotte afterschool program (Ourbridge) suspended operations after CBP sightings; DHS stated it did not target a school/daycare or make arrests near the building.
- Ourbridge staff shifted to delivering food and essentials, with delivery requests jumping from 40 to 267 in two days.
Immigration crackdown in Charlotte has ended, sheriff's office says
New information:
- Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden says CBP confirmed the 'Charlotte's Web' operation has officially concluded and no Border Patrol operations would occur Thursday.
- Sheriff’s release clarifies ICE will continue routine enforcement in Mecklenburg County despite the surge ending.
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell posted that Border Patrol enforcement 'appears to have been suspended' in Raleigh.
- Article notes arrests around Charlotte and beyond were about double totals announced earlier this week by DHS, indicating a higher arrest count than initially reported.
More than 250 have been arrested in federal immigration crackdown across North Carolina
New information:
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said late Wednesday on X that 'border patrol enforcement appears to have been suspended' in Raleigh; DHS did not confirm any change.
- AP confirms more than 250 arrests statewide in North Carolina and notes the total is about double what DHS announced earlier in the week.
- Details on local impacts and response: about 100 protesters gathered at a Charlotte Home Depot where agents had been spotted; reports of school attendance drops and small businesses closing to avoid encounters.
- DHS reiterated agents are targeting 'the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens' but provided few specifics about those arrested.
NC Senate candidate says ICE Charlotte ops the result of ex-gov opponent repeatedly blunting cooperation
New information:
- Fox News reports at least 120 arrests specifically in Charlotte tied to the operation.
- Article says the operation is shifting to Raleigh on Wednesday; Durham officials also reported ICE activity.
- GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley blames the need for federal raids on former Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes of sheriff–ICE cooperation bills.
- Cooper’s office responds that multiple county sheriffs opposed those bills over resource concerns and defends his vetoes; cites his prosecutorial record.
- Recaps Cooper’s veto history on ICE cooperation bills (2019 and 2022 vetoes; 2024 veto override).
Arrests now top 250 in immigration crackdown across North Carolina
New information:
- DHS says arrests in North Carolina now exceed 250, roughly double the earlier tally.
- Protest details: about 100 people demonstrated at a Charlotte Home Depot where agents were reportedly seen.
- Additional community impact: fear and reduced activity reported in Cary, an immigrant-heavy Raleigh suburb.
- DHS declined to detail future operations, with spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin citing safety and security.
- Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino is on the ground in North Carolina leading the operation.
North Carolina school district releases memo on 'supporting student absences' due to ICE raids
New information:
- Wake County Public Schools Superintendent Robert P. Taylor issued a districtwide memo titled “Supporting staff and families amid recent federal immigration orders,” including guidance to support student absences tied to immigration raids.
- The memo encourages families to inform teachers of absence reasons (including worry/fear) and notes teachers will provide classwork for at-home completion so students don’t fall behind.
- The district says it does not record students’ or families’ immigration status, will comply with state and federal law, and will consult legal counsel if law enforcement approaches a school.
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said ICE and CBP officials were in the city; an administration official told NBC News that CBP had no plans for an operation there.
- WBTV reported 20,935 student absences across 185 Charlotte‑Mecklenburg schools (with CMS student population ~31% Hispanic), providing a specific absentee count during the raids.
- DHS said 44 criminal noncitizens were taken into custody within the first 48 hours of Operation Charlotte’s Web, detailing charges such as aggravated assault and DUI.
Immigration crackdown in New Orleans could start as early as Dec. 1
New information:
- A DHS official told CBS the Charlotte 'Charlotte’s Web' operation is expected to wind down this week.
- As of Tuesday morning, Border Patrol recorded more than 200 arrests under the Charlotte operation.
U.S. citizen explains why she closed her bakery amid immigration crackdown
New information:
- DHS/immigration agents moved into the Raleigh area on Tuesday.
- Arrests tied to 'Operation Charlotte’s Web' now exceed 200 since Friday.
- Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Schools reported about 30,000 absences (~22%) Monday, up from earlier estimates.
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein publicly criticized Border Patrol tactics as creating 'widespread fear' and not promoting public safety.
Charlotte raid targeting criminal illegal immigrants leads to 130 arrests, including MS-13 gang member
New information:
- DHS says 130 arrests in the first 48 hours of 'Operation Charlotte’s Web,' including 44 individuals with criminal records (e.g., aggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, DUI, hit-and-run).
- Two known gang members were arrested, including at least one MS-13 member, per DHS.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin detailed two vehicle-ramming incidents during Sunday operations; one incident injured an officer and another suspect rammed a federal vehicle, fled, and was arrested.
- McLaughlin noted one suspect involved in a ramming incident was a transgender individual; the other suspect (in a separate incident) was a U.S. citizen.
- CBP commander-at-large Gregory Bovino publicly vowed agents would 'hit Charlotte like a storm.'
- Local leaders (including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles) issued a joint statement criticizing the operations; a Latino-owned business (Manolo’s Bakery) temporarily closed citing fear in the community.
- Additional context on school impact: 20,935 students absent across 185 Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools (31% of students are Hispanic, per local reporting).
Raleigh mayor says federal immigration agents will expand enforcement action to state’s capital city
New information:
- AP names DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin as the official stating Border Patrol arrested "over 130" people in Charlotte.
- Agency characterization of arrestees’ records includes alleged gang membership and offenses such as aggravated assault and shoplifting.
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell reiterates the expansion could begin as soon as Tuesday and notes Raleigh crime is down year-over-year while urging calm.
- Residents reported encounters with agents near churches, apartment complexes and stores (additional on‑the‑ground detail).
Trump immigration enforcement focus to expand to new city, mayor indicates
New information:
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell publicly states the city has been made aware that CBP is coming to Raleigh and that RPD is not involved in immigration enforcement.
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein posts that Border Patrol should target violent criminals and not people 'going about their lives,' urging peace.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin provides an on-record statement: 'We do not discuss future or potential operations.'
- DHS frames the Charlotte surge as 'Operation Charlotte’s Web' and cites over 130 arrests in two days.
Feds expanding N.C. immigration enforcement actions to Raleigh, mayor says
New information:
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein publicly urged agents to target violent criminals and not people 'simply going about their lives,' and asked residents to record/report misconduct.
- Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Schools reported 20,935 student absences on Monday, about 15% of enrollment, amid the enforcement surge.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol arrested 'over 130 illegal aliens' and cited records including gang membership, aggravated assault and shoplifting, without detailing conviction counts.
- Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said she is 'deeply concerned' about videos of the crackdown and expressed support for anxious residents.
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell noted Raleigh crime is lower this year than last and urged residents to remain peaceful.
Granddaughter of 'Charlotte's Web' author blasts DHS for use of book title in Charlotte immigration sweep
New information:
- E.B. White’s granddaughter Martha White condemned DHS’s use of the title 'Operation Charlotte’s Web' and criticized masked, unmarked raids, providing an attributable statement.
- Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino publicly quoted from 'Charlotte’s Web' in a social post to frame the Charlotte operation.
- DHS said nearly 1,400 ICE detainers have not been honored by local authorities in the Charlotte area.
- Local leaders (Mayor Vi Lyles, County Chair Mark Jerrell, School Board Chair Stephanie Sneed) issued a joint statement opposing the raids, citing fear and uncertainty.
- DHS update reiterates more than 130 arrests in two days during the Charlotte sweep (adds a defined two-day window).
Mayor says federal immigration agents will expand enforcement action in North Carolina to Raleigh
New information:
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said federal immigration enforcement will expand to Raleigh as soon as Tuesday.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated Border Patrol arrested 'over 130' people in the Charlotte sweep over the weekend.
- Gov. Josh Stein released a video condemning 'masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars' and said the operation is 'stoking fear.'
- Raleigh’s mayor noted crime is lower this year than last and urged residents to remain peaceful; residents in Charlotte reported encounters with agents near churches, apartments, and stores.
Federal Border Patrol to begin operation in Raleigh on Tuesday, mayor confirms
New information:
- Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell says Border Patrol will begin an immigration operation in Raleigh on Tuesday and that she was notified by Raleigh Police and Gov. Josh Stein's office.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declined to discuss plans, stating DHS does not discuss future or potential operations.
- Raleigh Police Department stated it is not involved in immigration enforcement.
- Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams released a joint statement with local officials denouncing efforts that 'incite fear' and 'compromise safety,' without confirming targeting there.
- Charlotte arrests now total more than 130 since Saturday, with agents reportedly operating at construction sites, a Home Depot, an international grocery store, a country club, and other locations.
- Gov. Josh Stein reiterated that agents should target violent criminals and not people 'simply going about their lives,' urging residents to remain peaceful and document wrongdoing.
- The Assembly was first to report CBP would operate in Raleigh, citing Democratic legislative sources briefed by Stein's office.
How Charlotte is responding to Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in city
New information:
- Updated arrest figure: at least 130 people were arrested in Charlotte over the weekend under operation 'Charlotte’s Web.'
- Specific local incidents cited: a U.S. citizen’s truck windows were smashed by agents; agents were recorded questioning landscapers about immigration status.
- On‑record local reaction: Mecklenburg County Commissioner George Dunlap says ICE/Border Patrol raids continue, are harming community policing, and that local leaders have not been engaged by federal agents.
Protesters scream 'Get the f--- out of my city!' at federal agents during immigration raid
New information:
- Video shows protesters surrounding agents in a wooded area on Nov. 16, shouting "Get the f--- out of my city!" during Operation Charlotte’s Web.
- An agent displayed a tear-gas canister and warned, "This is tear gas! Stop following us!"
- On-scene HSI agent engaged protesters on Fourth Amendment concerns, stating agents are “bound by what’s reasonable under the law.”
- Agents deployed a drone while searching for a man; a Getty caption cited in the piece notes two individuals fled after being stopped while selling flowers.
- Article cites rising violent crime context in Charlotte, including a claim that uptown murders are up 200% year over year.
After weekend’s Border Patrol surge in Charlotte, North Carolina governor says effort is ‘stoking fear’
New information:
- North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein publicly condemned the surge as 'stoking fear,' alleging racial profiling and urging residents to record and report abuses.
- DHS justification included a claim that about 1,400 immigration detainers across North Carolina have not been honored; Mecklenburg County does not honor detainers and CMPD does not assist with immigration enforcement.
- Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino posted social media updates documenting more than 80 arrests, including examples such as a man with prior DUI convictions.
- Local political reaction included support from Mecklenburg County GOP Chair Kyle Kirby, who said the county GOP 'stands with the rule of law.'
- Article raises operational questions about where detainees will be held and how long the surge will last, and notes past Bovino-led surges in Chicago/Los Angeles spurred lawsuits and one fatal shooting during a traffic stop.
ICE detains dozens in Charlotte, including some who say they have legal status
New information:
- CBS reports 81 arrests in Charlotte on Saturday alone.
- Videos posted online include detainees stating they have legal status.
Officer injured after suspect rams law enforcement vehicles during Charlotte immigration raids
New information:
- DHS says a U.S. citizen in a van accelerated toward officers near Charlotte’s University City area, triggering a high-speed chase.
- The suspect allegedly rammed law enforcement vehicles as agents boxed him in; one officer was injured.
- Agents recovered a firearm from the suspect’s van after the arrest.
- DHS says the suspect has prior arrests for resisting law enforcement, public disturbance, and intoxication/disruptive conduct.
- DHS described the incident in a formal statement posted on X and framed it within the broader Charlotte immigration operation.
+ 15 more sources