DHS confirms immigration enforcement has begun in Charlotte

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Saturday that it has begun immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte, N.C.

“Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, The Associated Press reported. “We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.”

Local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles (D), criticized the federal government's actions, saying in a joint statement that they “are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty.”

“We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives,” the statement said, which was also signed by County Commissioner Mark Jerrell and Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member Stephanie Sneed.

The federal government hadn’t previously announced the immigration enforcement in Charlotte, but Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said on Thursday that he was notified by two federal officials who said U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel would be arriving in the Charlotte area either Saturday or early next week.

“We value and welcome the renewed collaboration and open communication with our federal partners,” McFadden said in a statement. “It allows us to stay informed and be proactive in keeping Mecklenburg County safe and to maintain the level of trust our community deserves.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said before the federal officers arrived that it isn’t involved in the immigration enforcement.

Charlotte has more than 900,000 residents, including more than 150,000 who are foreign-born, according to local officials.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) said Friday that the vast majority of those detained in these immigration operations have no criminal convictions, and some are U.S. citizens.

Stein urged people to record any “inappropriate behavior” they see and notify local law enforcement.

The Trump administration has been cracking down on violent crime and illegal immigration nationwide in recent months, with National Guard troops deployed in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Memphis, and Los Angeles, while immigration officers carried out raids. It has also tried to deploy troops in Portland, but has been blocked by courts so far.