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Over 130 Arrested in DHS Charlotte Immigration Sweep, Local Leaders Decry Tactics

Homeland Security says the surge targets criminal immigration violators, citing unhonored detainers in North Carolina.

Overview

  • Federal officials said CBP and ICE detained more than 130 people in Charlotte within the first 48 hours, with 81 arrests reported in roughly five hours on day one.
  • Videos and eyewitness accounts documented aggressive stops, including a Honduran-born U.S. citizen whose car window was smashed before he was released after proving his citizenship.
  • Mayor Vi Lyles and Gov. Josh Stein criticized the operation for stoking fear, as protesters gathered, some businesses closed and the City Council moved to fund community support.
  • DHS said those arrested include people with alleged records such as gang membership, aggravated assault, DUI/DWI, weapons possession and illegal re-entry, and it cited about 1,400 ICE detainers not honored statewide.
  • The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is not participating, and agents are expected to remain through Friday before redeploying to New Orleans, according to preliminary information from federal authorities reported by ABC News.