81 Detained in Charlotte During First Day of Federal Immigration Crackdown

Federal immigration agents detained at least 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a five-hour operation on Saturday.

Federal officials said the arrests were part of a broader escalation of the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. Gregory Bovino, a senior US Border Patrol commander who previously led operations in Los Angeles and Chicago, confirmed the number of detentions in a social media post. 

He said that many of those arrested had significant criminal or immigration histories, although federal agencies have not released further details. Requests for comment from the Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went unanswered.

The operation comes as the administration intensifies immigration enforcement in both Democratic-led cities and conservative regions. These actions have frequently triggered political and social disputes over federal authority and local cooperation.

Public response in North Carolina was swift. 

Demonstrations took place across Charlotte and Raleigh over the weekend, with protesters accusing federal agents of racial profiling and indiscriminate targeting. Advocacy groups said that lawful residents and US citizens were among those questioned or detained, raising concerns about civil liberties and due process.

Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, criticised the methods used in Charlotte while acknowledging the need to remove undocumented individuals with violent criminal records. In a statement on Sunday, he said heavily armed officers in military-style gear used unmarked vehicles to detain people in public areas, including car parks, churches, and shops. 

He warned that such tactics were generating fear and undermining community safety. Federal officials have defended the operation, arguing that it was necessary because local authorities declined to honour nearly 1,400 immigration detainer requests, orders asking jails to hold individuals for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release. 

DHS maintains that this lack of cooperation disrupts national enforcement efforts and requires direct intervention.