ICE Detainer Filed for El Salvadoran Suspect in Charlotte Teen Killings
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, an El Salvadoran national who DHS says entered the U.S. illegally and is now charged with murdering 16-year-old Bravlio Galeano Ayala and 18-year-old Samir Canales Molina in Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say gunfire erupted around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2025 in southwest Charlotte and that the two teens, whose bodies were later found more than six miles apart, are believed to have been shot at the same location before trying to flee for help. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the case 'another tragic loss of life at the hands of a criminal illegal alien' and tied it to what the department calls 'sanctuary' policies, noting that North Carolina authorities have declined to honor nearly 1,400 ICE detainers in recent years. The detainer and arrest are being highlighted as part of 'Operation Charlotte’s Web,' a Trump administration surge of federal agents into Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas aimed at rounding up 'high-threat' unauthorized immigrants with violent criminal histories, a campaign that local officials have vowed to resist. The case is already fueling partisan battles over whether refusing ICE access to jails and detainers increases or reduces public safety in major U.S. cities.
📌 Key Facts
- ICE filed an immigration detainer for Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, an El Salvadoran national DHS says entered the U.S. illegally and is charged with killing two teens.
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report shots were fired around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2025; the victims, aged 16 and 18, were later found more than six miles apart but are believed to have been shot in the same incident.
- DHS cites nearly 1,400 ICE detainers declined by North Carolina jurisdictions and is using the case to promote 'Operation Charlotte’s Web,' a federal surge targeting 'high-threat' unauthorized immigrants in the Charlotte area.
📊 Relevant Data
In North Carolina, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement increased the number of detainers sent to jails, but most flagged individuals are not taken into custody, with data showing varying compliance rates across jurisdictions as of 2025.
Most people flagged by ICE in NC are not taken into custody, study shows — WFAE
The foreign-born population in Charlotte, NC, was 17.2% in 2022, representing an increase from 11% in 2000, with the overall population growing by about 20% since 2010.
Charlotte, NC | Data USA — Data USA
Migration from El Salvador to the U.S. is driven significantly by high levels of violence and homicides, which increase migration by 188%, alongside economic informality contributing 27%, with additional factors including stagnant economy and natural disasters as of recent trends.
Recent Trends in Central American Migration — The Dialogue
Immigrants comprise 11% of North Carolina's labor force, contributing to 14% of entrepreneurs and 17% of STEM workers, with economic research indicating minimal wage impacts from undocumented immigration and potential economic harm from mass deportation policies as of 2025.
NC's economy could 'lose a lot' if Trump starts promised mass deportations — Charlotte Observer
North Carolina's foreign-born population has increased eightfold since 1990, from 115,000 (2% of the population) to a much larger share, with 82% of foreign-born residents in working-age groups compared to 62% of U.S.-born residents as of 2024-2025 data.
NC's foreign-born population increased eightfold since 1990 — North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
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