Overview
- Federal officials confirmed the deployment on Saturday, saying the operation targets public safety threats and citing recent crimes by undocumented immigrants.
- Videos and eyewitness accounts showed arrests across multiple corridors, with reports including agents breaking a driver's window before releasing him after he proved U.S. citizenship.
- Local leaders, including Mayor Vi Lyles, condemned the actions as creating fear and uncertainty, and urged peaceful responses and documentation of any inappropriate conduct.
- Community groups reported increased CBP and ICE traffic stops since Friday, while some businesses in east Charlotte closed as residents described a heavy federal presence, including at a church.
- The surge follows similar high‑profile operations in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles; some outlets, citing unnamed sources, say the effort is dubbed 'Charlotte's Web' and linked to CBP leader Greg Bovino, which officials have not publicly confirmed.