**DHS Agents Expected in Charlotte Amid Controversy Over Immigration Enforcement**
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents were expected to arrive in Charlotte as early as Saturday, though details of the operation were not publicly shared beforehand. The announcement stirred discontent among several local officials and community members.
In September, the Trump administration reported that “2 million illegal aliens have been removed or self-deported in just 250 days.” President Donald Trump has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, intensifying immigration enforcement efforts nationwide.
**What to Know**
In a Saturday email to Newsweek, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that the agency is “surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.” She added, “There have been too many victims of criminal illegal aliens, and President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem will step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians won’t.”
This announcement follows significant DHS operations in other cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Memphis. Although Charlotte has not been a central focus in recent national immigration debates, the city gained international attention in August after the fatal stabbing of Zarutska on a light rail train by suspect Decarlos Brown.
**Local Officials Respond**
Ahead of the DHS confirmation, Charlotte’s Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles, along with the board of county commissioners’ Mark Jerrell and Chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Stephanie Sneed, issued a joint statement addressing community concerns. They said, “The expected U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s operations are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty in our community as recent operations in other cities have resulted in people without criminal records being detained and violent protests being the result of unwarranted actions.”
The statement also reassured residents that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) does not participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations, nor is it involved in planning or executing any federal immigration enforcement activities. Community members were encouraged not to hesitate to call 911 if needed.
**What People Are Saying**
Democratic North Carolina Governor Josh Stein emphasized public safety in a Friday statement:
“Public safety is the top priority for all of us in government—that means fighting crime, not stoking fear or causing division. We should all focus on arresting violent criminals and drug traffickers. Unfortunately, that’s not always what we have seen with ICE and Border Patrol Agents in Chicago and elsewhere around the country. The vast majority of people they have detained have no criminal convictions, and some are American citizens.”
Charlotte City Councilmember-elect JD Mazuera Arias spoke at a Friday press conference:
“Let me say this clearly. This is not about public safety. It is not about finding criminals. It is about fear. It is about quotas. And it’s about control. When federal agents enter our communities without warning, without cause, and without humanity, they are not keeping us safe. They are terrorizing our neighborhoods, and we do not welcome our communities being terrorized and attacked.”
Greg Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Centro Sector in Southern California, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday:
“Immigrants, rest assured, we have your back like we did in Chicago and Los Angeles. Rep. Adams, perhaps you & Gov. STEIN should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant.”
Representative Alma Adams, a North Carolina Democrat, expressed concern in a Friday statement:
“I am extremely concerned about the deployment of U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents to Charlotte. Charlotte’s immigrant community is a proud part of the Queen City, and I will not stand by and watch my constituents be intimidated or harassed.”
Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, also shared his remarks on X on Saturday:
“Border Patrol and ICE are currently arresting and stealing our community members off the streets in Charlotte. Donald Trump is single-handedly responsible for these heinous actions. PLEASE report any activity you see. And know that our party stands with ALL immigrant communities.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reiterated in her email to Newsweek:
“Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors.”
**What Happens Next?**
As DHS agents continue their operations in Charlotte, the community remains tense amid conflicting views on immigration enforcement and public safety. Local leaders urge calm and vigilance, while federal authorities emphasize their commitment to targeting criminal illegal aliens.
The unfolding situation highlights the ongoing national debate over immigration policies and enforcement practices, with impacts felt deeply at the local level. Residents and officials alike wait to see how the operation will proceed and what effects it will have on Charlotte’s diverse communities.
https://www.newsweek.com/dhs-confirms-surging-federal-agents-to-charlotte-north-carolina-11054599