Overview
- DHS says the surge targets so-called criminal foreign irregulars and cites roughly 1,400 unexecuted ICE detainers in North Carolina as justification.
- CBP commander Gregory K. Bovino reported 81 arrests in the first day, while federal officials released few details about detainees or procedures.
- Local authorities, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Mecklenburg County officials, said they are not participating and criticized the tactics.
- Eyewitness accounts describe agents active around churches, apartment complexes, and a Walmart parking lot, with some reports of agents wearing face coverings.
- Coverage links the Charlotte campaign to earlier crackdowns in Chicago and Los Angeles, where data showed a small share of detainees had criminal records and a federal judge ordered hundreds released, fueling legal and effectiveness questions.