Federal immigration officers began a sweep in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, targeting several local sites across the city. Federal officials confirmed the operation, which included detaining residents at unexpected locations.
Local reports said that one of the sites was a church in east Charlotte. Around 15 to 20 church members were doing yard work when agents detained a man. Witnesses said the officers wore masks and did not show identification or ask questions before making the arrest. The man’s wife and child were inside the church at the time.
A pastor at the church, who wished to remain anonymous, said the raid left members frightened. “Right now, everybody is scared. Everybody,” he said. He described a tense interaction in which an agent threatened to arrest another congregant and pushed him.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant homeland security secretary, defended the operation, saying agents were deployed “to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.” She added that Americans should live without fear of harm from violent criminal aliens.
Local officials, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, criticized the raids for creating fear and confusion. The city emphasized its support for residents who “simply want to go about their lives.”
In another incident, two workers hanging Christmas lights in east Charlotte were approached by federal agents. The agents tried speaking in Spanish, but the workers did not respond. No arrests were made, and the agents left. Homeowner Rheba Hamilton said the incident was alarming. She recorded the interaction and noted that the workers had broken no laws.
“This is disconcerting,” Hamilton said. “They were just two human beings trying to make a living. There was nobody protesting or filming, just regular people in their yard.”
Willy Aceituno, a U.S. citizen born in Honduras, reported being stopped twice by federal agents while on his way to work. During the second stop, agents forced him out of his vehicle and broke a window. Aceituno said he identified himself as an American citizen and later was released after showing his documents.
Rumors of a planned sweep had circulated days before. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said federal officials had informed him that customs agents would arrive soon. Nonprofit groups reported a spike in stops since Friday. Paola Garcia of Camino, a bilingual family service nonprofit, confirmed the increase in enforcement activity.
Local businesses, including a Latin American bakery, closed early in response to the raids. City Council member JD Mazuera Arias criticized the presence of Customs and Border Protection in a non-border city, calling it a violation of constitutional rights for both immigrants and citizens.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein noted that most people detained in such operations have no criminal record, and some are citizens. He urged residents to document any inappropriate behavior by agents and notify local authorities.
Meanwhile, Mecklenburg County Republican Party chair Kyle Kirby defended federal enforcement, claiming Democratic officials have failed to uphold law and order. Kirby stated that legally present residents “have nothing to fear” from federal officers.
The Charlotte raids come three months after the Trump administration labeled the city as not doing enough to protect citizens. This designation followed the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light-rail train.
Similar enforcement operations have taken place in other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and New York City. The east Charlotte church involved in Saturday’s raid said it would suspend services and yard work until congregants felt safe. Fifteen-year-old Miguel Vazquez said the church had been a place of safety, but the events shook the community.
“We thought church was safe and nothing would happen,” Vazquez said. “But it did happen.”