In a wave of immigration enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents swept through Charlotte on Saturday, targeting areas known for their immigrant populations. The operation, labeled “Charlotte’s Web,” prompted the closure of businesses and ignited protests throughout the city.
Saturday morning saw CBP agents, clad in green uniforms and driving unmarked vehicles, conducting arrests along Charlotte’s Central Avenue and South Boulevard. One notable arrest occurred at a shopping center in east Charlotte, a neighborhood with a significant Latino community. The motives behind this particular arrest remain unclear.
As the day unfolded, First Ward Park became the epicenter of dissent, with hundreds rallying against the federal crackdown. Demonstrators brandished signs and chanted slogans like “No justice, no peace, no ICE or police.”
Businesses along Central Avenue, particularly those serving Latino communities, opted to close amid the heightened enforcement. An anonymous restaurant employee reported a pervasive fear among workers, foreseeing “worse” times in immigrant-heavy areas like east Charlotte and South Boulevard.
Further incidents involved agents questioning landscapers and forcibly removing a man from his vehicle on South Boulevard. Arrests were also reported in Pineville and Matthews.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, “Charlotte’s Web” was initiated due to local law enforcement’s alleged failure to detain individuals charged with serious offenses. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the operation’s focus on “violent criminal illegal aliens,” stating, “Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors.”
Latino business owners recounted witnessing the operations firsthand. The owner of a car repair shop on Central Avenue described agents arriving at her establishment, leading to the arrest of her lead mechanic, a Nicaraguan asylum seeker. “They just jumped out of the van and took whoever they see as Latino,” she said.
The arrival of CBP agents in Charlotte had been anticipated since the news broke earlier in the week. Previously active in Chicago, these agents are expected to move on to New Orleans, though the specifics of their current deployment remain unclear. Watch a video of the operations here.
Local authorities, including the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, issued a joint statement urging peaceful protests. “The expected U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s operations are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty in our community,” the statement noted, advocating for non-violence.
Despite criticism from Democratic leaders who questioned the necessity of federal intervention, Republican figures expressed support. U.S. Rep. Tim Moore endorsed the federal efforts, while CBP Commander Greg Bovino defended the agency’s focus on “illegal alien(s),” not legal immigrants.
In response, the Mecklenburg GOP criticized Democrats and media for allegedly neglecting broader crime issues in Charlotte, stating, “Mecklenburg’s Democrat officials have abandoned their duty to uphold law and order.”
Meanwhile, east Charlotte resident Rheba Hamilton recounted witnessing agents question two landscapers at her home. Hamilton recorded the exchange, highlighting the importance of such actions as a form of accountability. “I think they were looking for low-hanging fruit,” she remarked.
As tensions simmer in Charlotte, the community grapples with the implications of the federal presence, with some residents questioning the broader impact on their neighborhoods and livelihoods.
