The Trump administration’s campaign against illegal immigration continues, with Homeland Security personnel now deployed in Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina. The federal government has confirmed the operation, stating that the campaign against immigrants is ongoing. On Saturday, agents from the Immigration Department and Homeland Security were seen making arrests at multiple locations.
Federal Decision Meets Local Opposition
In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said, ‘We are increasing DHS law enforcement in Charlotte to ensure Americans remain safe and public security threats are mitigated.’
However, local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, have criticized these actions, stating that they are creating unnecessary fear and uncertainty. There was no prior information about the deployment of Homeland Security personnel in Charlotte earlier. But earlier this week, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Gary McFadden reported that federal authorities had informed him that Customs agents would be arriving soon.
Arrests Conducted on the Streets
A 46-year-old Charlotte resident, Acituno, reported being stopped twice by Border Patrol agents. The second time, they broke his car window, forcibly pulled him from the vehicle, and threw him to the ground.
“I told them, ‘I am a U.S. citizen,'” he said. “They wanted to know where I was born; they didn’t believe I was a U.S. citizen.”
He was eventually released after showing documents proving his citizenship.
According to local authorities, Charlotte is a racially diverse city of over 900,000 people, more than 150,000 of whom are foreign-born.
