More than 130 people suspected of being in the United States illegally have been detained in Charlotte, North Carolina, authorities said, as President Donald Trump’s nationwide deportation efforts intensify. The attack took place in just two days.
Here’s what we know:
What happened in Charlotte?
Federal agents descended on Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, escalating President Trump’s widening immigration crackdown and making the city the latest focus of mass arrests in Democratic-led areas. Charlotte is a Democratic-leaning city of about 950,000 people and a center for financial services.
As the operation unfolded, officers were seen outside churches, around apartment complexes and along busy shopping corridors.
“We are increasing the presence of DHS law enforcement in Charlotte to keep Americans safe and eliminate threats to public safety,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said Saturday.
Homeland Security officials said 44 of the detainees had criminal records, including two suspected gang members. Charges include driving under the influence, assault, trespassing, theft, and hit-and-run. The commander who led the raid said one of the people arrested was a registered sex offender.
President Trump and Secretary Noem have no intention of abandoning their mission to make America safe again.
North Carolina Sanctuary politicians protect and ultimately release nearly 1,400 illegal aliens in a Charlotte jail by refusing to hand them over to ICE… pic.twitter.com/rM2kt3gLuB
— Department of Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 17, 2025
What exactly is Operation Charlotte’s Web?
DHS dubbed the raid “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” a play on the title of a famous children’s book that was not about North Carolina.
The book “Charlotte’s Web” depicts the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur is in danger of being killed, Charlotte writes a message on the web in an attempt to save him.
But in Charlotte, the web isn’t a savior, it’s a dragnet for immigrants.
“Wherever the wind blows, high and low, near and far, east and west, north and south, we go with the wind,” Gregory Bovino, the DHS commander leading the raid, told Saturday’s X, quoting from the iconic book.
“This time the winds hit Charlotte like a storm. From border towns to the Queen City, our agents will go wherever the call of duty takes them.”
“Wherever the wind blows. High and low. Near and far. East and west. North and south. We ride the breeze and go where we want.” — Charlotte’s Web
This time the wind hit Charlotte like a storm. From border towns to the Queen City, our agents will go wherever the mission calls. #DHS #CBP… pic.twitter.com/de0nqHn3vR
— Commander Op At Large CA Gregory K. Bovino (@CMDROpAtLargeCA) November 16, 2025
But the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to use the title of a popular children’s book in a campaign expected to separate some families has also faced criticism, including from the granddaughter of Charlotte’s Web author E.B. White.
“He believed in the rule of law and due process,” Martha White said in a statement of her grandfather. “He never believed that masked men without identification or summons would attack people’s homes and businesses in unmarked cars.”
What is driving immigration raids?
Officials say the surge is aimed at combating crime and say local governments are failing to ensure law and order, as in other cities targeted by similar raids under the Trump administration.
However, local leaders opposed the raids and pointed to police data showing crime was on the decline.
According to data released by the city, crime is down 8% from last year, and violent crime is down 20%.
But Charlotte nevertheless gained national and global attention this summer when Ukrainian refugee Irina Zalutka was stabbed to death on a light rail train and captured on video. The suspect is a U.S. citizen, but the Trump administration has repeatedly emphasized that he has been arrested more than a dozen times.
The Department of Homeland Security also said the Charlotte raid occurred because local authorities failed to comply with about 1,400 requests to hold people for up to 48 hours after release, which would allow them to be detained by immigration authorities.
“We’ve been clear that we don’t want to stop ICE from doing its job, but we want to ensure that it does so safely, responsibly, and with proper coordination by notifying authorities in advance,” Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said in a statement, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), part of DHS, which is leading anti-immigrant raids in several metropolitan areas across the country. Charlotte fell into Mecklenburg County.
Tensions remain high. “Democrats at every level are choosing to protect criminal illegal aliens over North Carolinians,” state Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons said Monday, even though ICE agents also arrested several visa holders and permanent residents (all legally living in the United States) during raids.
Who is Gregory Bovino?
Gregory Bovino is a senior U.S. Border Patrol official who has become a central figure in President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts in major cities. He has been leading a high-profile enforcement campaign in Chicago since September, and is also working in Los Angeles and now Charlotte.
Bovino has frequently served as the public face of these efforts, holding press conferences, giving interviews, and touting arrest numbers as a sign of success.
His approach is controversial. Civil rights groups, local officials and legal experts have criticized tactics used under his command, including aggressive arrests, the use of chemical agents on detainees and the use of Border Patrol agents far from the U.S. border. Some operations have faced legal challenges, with judges and local leaders questioning whether federal agents were acting within their jurisdiction.
Regarding the use of chemical agents, Bovino told The Associated Press that the use of chemical agents is “much less lethal” than what agents would encounter. “We will use the minimum amount of force necessary to effectuate the arrest.” “If we had more CS gas, we would have deployed it.” CS gas is tear gas commonly used by federal agents.
What do we know about the affected communities?
Immigrant neighborhoods in Charlotte felt the impact immediately, according to local reports. The Charlotte Observer reported how baker Manuel “Manolo” Betancourt closed his bakery Saturday afternoon after learning that Border Patrol agents had arrived in the city. This is the first closure in its 28-year history.
He said he has no idea when it will reopen.
“The level of fear we have right now is not good,” Betancourt said outside Manolo’s Bakery on Central Avenue, a major hub for the city’s immigrant community.
“It’s not worth the risk,” he said. “We need to protect families and (prevent) family separation.”
It wasn’t just a bakery. Businesses along Central Avenue closed their doors as masked federal agents made arrests, sparking anger and anxiety in the community.
Pisco Peruvian Gastrolounge posted Saturday that it would be temporarily closing. “We can’t wait to welcome you back safely and continue to share our culture, cuisine, and atmosphere,” the restaurant said on Instagram.
What’s next?
Federal immigration authorities are preparing to expand their operations in North Carolina, and Raleigh is expected to join the enforcement effort as soon as Tuesday, the city’s mayor said.
Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said Monday that she had not received details about how big the operation would be or how long it would last, and immigration officials had not yet made an official announcement.
“I ask Raleigh to remember our values and maintain peace and respect through the challenges ahead,” Cowell said in a statement.
With a population of more than 460,000, Raleigh is North Carolina’s second-largest city after Charlotte and is part of the region known as the Research Triangle, home to several leading universities, including Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Immigration raids could expand as the number of people detained nationwide reaches historic levels. According to TRAC Reports, a nonpartisan data collection platform, ICE had 59,762 people in its custody as of September 21, 2025. This is the highest number of arrests ever recorded by ICE. Approximately 71.5% of those detained had no convictions, and many of those who were convicted were only for misdemeanors such as traffic violations.
