Additional Coverage:
Federal Immigration Enforcement Sparks Fear, Business Closures in Charlotte
Charlotte, N.C. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents initiated federal immigration law enforcement in Charlotte on Saturday, leading to widespread concern and the temporary closure of numerous local businesses.
Many establishments along Central Avenue in East Charlotte shuttered their doors as federal agents reportedly began making arrests and detaining individuals in residential areas, according to reports from the Charlotte Observer.
In response to the federal presence, local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Mecklenburg County Commission Chairman Mark Jerrell, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Chairwoman Stephanie Sneed, issued a joint statement expressing their support for the city’s migrant community.
“We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives contributing to our larger community,” the statement read. They emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its diversity and collective commitment, urging unity “for all hard-working and law-abiding families.”
The officials also voiced concerns that the arrival of CBP agents had “unnecessarily created fear and uncertainty in our community.”
Reports from the Charlotte Observer detailed alleged incidents during the enforcement actions. One man claimed federal agents smashed his vehicle window, while another stated agents aimed a rifle at him and threatened to shoot after he reportedly followed them.
Additionally, a separate individual reported that CBP agents broke his vehicle window and confiscated his keys after stopping him twice within a 10-minute period. It was not specified if this individual was following the agents.
Prior to the enforcement, local officials had clarified that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department does not participate in immigration enforcement and urged community members to remain peaceful, as reported by NBC News.
North Carolina is not designated as a sanctuary state, and state law prohibits local governments from declaring themselves sanctuaries for individuals who have entered or remained in the United States unlawfully.
Following the events in Charlotte, Asheville, N.C., Mayor Esther Manheimer suggested that her city could be the next target for similar federal enforcement efforts, according to WLOS.
This deployment in Charlotte follows a recent month-long immigration enforcement operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Chicago, which also faced opposition from protesters and other community members.