Federal agents have arrived in the North Carolina city of Charlotte as part of US President Donald Trump’s escalating crackdown on illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
On Saturday he announced “Operation Charlotte Network,” saying “criminal illegal aliens” would be targeted in the Democratic-run city.
Local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Li Vyles, issued a joint statement criticizing the operation and saying it was causing “unnecessary fear and uncertainty” in the community.
Since Trump returned to power, he has deployed troops to Washington DC, Los Angeles and Chicago to fulfill his promise of “the largest deportation program” in US history.
“We are increasing DHS law enforcement in Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and threats to public safety are eliminated,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Armored vehicles and special operations teams could be involved in the crackdown in North Charlotte, according to internal government documents seen by the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
Several church members who were working in the garden of a church in east Charlotte fled into the woods when Border Patrol agents showed up and began arresting people without asking questions or showing identification, The Charlotte Observer newspaper reported.
Inside the church, women and children cried, wondering if their loved ones had been taken, according to the newspaper.
“We thought the church was safe and nothing would happen,” a 15-year-old witness told the Charlotte Observer.
Officials said there are “a number of organizations ready to assist people seeking legal guidance on immigration matters.”
Manolo Betancur, owner of a local bakery, told NBC News that “many children have lost their parents” since the raids began.
DHS said they are carrying out the operation because North Carolina has not honored the nearly 1,400 detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), meaning they had been released due to “sanctuary policies.”
Charlotte is not a sanctuary city (cities that have policies to limit assistance provided to federal immigration authorities) but it is a “certified welcoming city.” This is a formal designation for cities that are committed to immigration inclusion.
“President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] “Noem will step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians fail to do so,” DHS said.
Charlotte is an ethnically diverse city, with about 17% of residents born outside the country, according to Data US.
DHS has not said how long the raids will last. The Chicago crackdown, which began in September, is still ongoing.
Earlier in the week, Democratic U.S. Rep. Alma Adams said she was informed of the operation and was “extremely concerned” about the arrival of Border Patrol and ICE agents in North Carolina.
The next city on Trump’s list will be New Orleans, according to CBS, and up to 200 officers could be deployed to the city.
Operations in previous cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles have been criticized over concerns of excessive use of force.
