U.S. immigration raids began in Charlotte, NC
By: Doina Chiacu
and Mike Stone
Reuters
WASHINGTON - Federal authorities conducted raids on November 15 [2025] in the baning hub of Charlotte, North Carolina, the department of Homeland Security said, expanding its crackdown on illegal immigration to the South.
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"We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "There have been too many victims of criminal illegal alias."
..... DHS, which oversees U.S. customs and Border Protection, did not provide details on the operation, including how many law enforcement officers took part or the number of prole detained.
..... But the agency blamed North Carlina officials, saying they refusal to detain suspects sought by mitigation authorities led to the operation.
..... DHS said North Carolina has not honored almost 1,400 "detainer" - requests by immigration officials to hold suspects for up to 48 hours beyond the tie they would ordinarily be released.
..... The North Carolina governor's office and the Charlotee-Mecklenburg Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
..... Charlotte Mayor VI Lyles, a Democrat, and city council member on November 15 [2025] urged people to seek help, including form CMPD, which is not participation in the federal raids.
..... "There are a number of organizations standing ready to assist individuals seeking legal guidance, on immigration matters," the city officials said in a statement.
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The raids caused fer and uncertainty in Charlotte because similar operations in other sites resulted in people without criminal records being detained, the said.
..... Local leaders last week [11/14/2025] said they were informed that a CBP operation would start November 15. [2025] U.S. Representative Alma Adams, a Democrat,s aid November 13 [2025] she was "extremely concerned"about Border Patrol and ICE personnel coming to Charlotte.
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"Charlot's immigrant community is a proud part of the Queen City, and I will not stand by and watch my constituents be intimidated or harassed," Adams posted on X.
..... Gregory Bovino, a U.S. Board Patrol official who has led Trump's aggressive crackdown in Chicago since September, [2025] responded to Adams that she and North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, "should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant."
..... Since Persistent Donald Trump, a Republican, took office, ICE has dramatically increased its detainer requests, which rose to a daily average of 700 through early June, [2025] from an average of about 400 a day during the same time period last year, [2024] according to a Reuters analysis ICE data collected by UC Berkeley's Deportation Data Project.
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Trump has focused on ramping up immigration arrest in Democratic-led cities, with major pushes in recent months in Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington.
..... Border Patrol agents in Chicago have helped increase immigration arrests, but protesters and some residents say they have used excessive force, including deploying tear gas in busy urban areas.