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DHS Launches 'Operation Charlotte's Web' as Border Patrol Makes 81 Arrests on Day One

Federal officials describe a focus on violent offenders, drawing warnings from Charlotte leaders about fear in the community.

Overview

  • Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino said agents arrested at least 81 people in roughly five hours on Saturday, the first day of the Charlotte deployment.
  • DHS has named the surge Operation Charlotte's Web and says it targets people living in the area illegally who pose public safety risks.
  • Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and other local officials say the operation is causing unnecessary fear, and police emphasized they are not participating in federal arrests.
  • Witnesses and videos show arrests across neighborhoods, with reports of U.S. citizens being stopped, including a man whose car window was broken before he was released after proving his citizenship.
  • DHS cites nearly 1,400 unhonored ICE detainers in North Carolina as a key rationale, while the duration of the operation and detainee processing details remain unclear.