Federal Border Patrol operations have launched in Charlotte, sparking a mix of fear and anxiety among local residents. The deployment was announced earlier this week by the Department of Homeland Security, with officials emphasizing that it aims to ensure public safety.
As part of the operation, federal agents began making arrests on Saturday, leading to reports of heightened activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across multiple areas of the city. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed earlier this week that it would not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
However, local officials are urging residents to remain calm, with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden stating he had been informed of Border Patrol's plans weeks ago. In a joint statement, the county and city governments expressed concern over the impact of the operation, which they said could lead to people without criminal records being detained.
One business owner in east Charlotte, Manolo Betancur, who runs a Latin bakery, reported a heightened presence of federal agents at his location earlier on Saturday. His staff prepared thousands of doughnuts for customers as federal officials swept through his parking lot. Betancur stated that many children had lost their parents during the operation.
Video footage captured by local reporters showed Border Patrol escorting a man in handcuffs at a shopping center, while agents were also spotted pulling a man out of his truck and patrolling a Home Depot parking lot. The scene was reminiscent of high-profile operations in other cities, such as Chicago and Portland, which have drawn controversy over the use of force.
Migrant advocates handed out wallet-sized cards explaining legal rights to those present at Betancur's bakery, advising them not to answer questions or sign documents with federal agents. County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell expressed her concern that the operation could lead to collateral damage and crossed a line.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents are being advised to remain cautious when interacting with federal agents. Local officials have emphasized that they will provide support to those affected by the operation, while encouraging community members to exercise their rights and seek help from relevant authorities if needed.
As part of the operation, federal agents began making arrests on Saturday, leading to reports of heightened activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across multiple areas of the city. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed earlier this week that it would not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
However, local officials are urging residents to remain calm, with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden stating he had been informed of Border Patrol's plans weeks ago. In a joint statement, the county and city governments expressed concern over the impact of the operation, which they said could lead to people without criminal records being detained.
One business owner in east Charlotte, Manolo Betancur, who runs a Latin bakery, reported a heightened presence of federal agents at his location earlier on Saturday. His staff prepared thousands of doughnuts for customers as federal officials swept through his parking lot. Betancur stated that many children had lost their parents during the operation.
Video footage captured by local reporters showed Border Patrol escorting a man in handcuffs at a shopping center, while agents were also spotted pulling a man out of his truck and patrolling a Home Depot parking lot. The scene was reminiscent of high-profile operations in other cities, such as Chicago and Portland, which have drawn controversy over the use of force.
Migrant advocates handed out wallet-sized cards explaining legal rights to those present at Betancur's bakery, advising them not to answer questions or sign documents with federal agents. County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell expressed her concern that the operation could lead to collateral damage and crossed a line.
As the situation continues to unfold, residents are being advised to remain cautious when interacting with federal agents. Local officials have emphasized that they will provide support to those affected by the operation, while encouraging community members to exercise their rights and seek help from relevant authorities if needed.
I'm worried about all these arrests and people getting detained without a reason... it's like they're living in fear 
. We need to make sure everyone knows their rights and can speak out against this kind of thing 
. The fact that local business owners are having to prepare for the worst is just crazy 
. I feel bad for Manolo's bakery, thousands of doughnuts were made for no reason 
! What's going on in our city? We need to calm down and talk about this stuff like civilized people 
. Can't we all just get along and respect each other's differences? 
what is going on in charlotte?! i live like 5 mins from betancur's bakery and i was there saturday morning and it was CRAZY 
federal agents everywhere, like what even is going on?! i saw kids crying because their parents were getting taken away 
i'm so worried about the ppl who got detained 
i need some answers from our officials why did they have to come here of all places?! can't we just coexist peacefully? 
i dont get why federal border patrol needs to just show up at ppl's homes and make arrests on a saturday?!?! its like they're just gonna start rounding up anyone who looks latino or whatever... the thought of all those ppl getting deported or detained without even being charged is just plain scary 
. whats next? us military taking over our cities?!?! i mean i get it, public safety is important but this just feels like another way for the gov to be super invasive and controlling... can we pls just have some clarity on what's going on here?!?! 
. I don't blame 'em, I mean, suddenly having federal agents patrollin the streets can be pretty intimidatin'. And what's up with this new Border Patrol operation? 
.
i mean think about it thousands of doughnuts just because some dudes in badges came knocking 
what's the real purpose here? is it really just to keep us safe or is there something more sinister brewing? 
but seriously who gets hurt in all this chaos? 
it's just another day-to-day thing, you know? I mean, they're trying to keep everyone safe, and if that means a few extra agents showing up at your bakery or shopping center, so be it, right? 
It's not like they're going around arresting people willy-nilly. Although, I do feel for the business owners who have to deal with all this stress... 
I mean, deploying Border Patrol in a city like Charlotte without warning just sounds so invasive and like something out of a movie. And those reports of people being detained without criminal records? It's just plain scary. What if it starts to happen more often than not? 
I feel bad for Manolo Betancur and his staff - thousands of doughnuts can't protect them from this kind of fear. We need to stick up for each other and not let our leaders make decisions that could put us in harm's way.
. We gotta stay vigilant and make sure our voices are heard.
cant believe they're doing this in our city...ICE and CBP just take people without records and put them in handcuffs its not right