Federal immigration agents have arrested more than 130 people in a major operation in North Carolina, with officers descending on churches, apartment complexes, and businesses in the state's largest city.
The crackdown, which began over the weekend of 17 November 2025, saw Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents swarm Charlotte despite strong objections from local Democratic leaders. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrests, stating it had targeted the city due to its sanctuary policies.
Church Grounds Raid Sparks Outrage
In one of the most contentious incidents, armed and masked ICE agents entered the grounds of a church in east Charlotte while 15 to 20 congregants were performing yard work and children played nearby.
The church's pastor, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that agents detained one church member without presenting identification. "They took one of the members of the church, they don't ask nothing, they just took him," the pastor told local media. "One of these guys with immigration, he [said] he was going to arrest one of the other guys in the church. He pushed him."
Fifteen-year-old Miguel Vazquez, who was present, expressed shock that the raid occurred on sacred property. "We thought church was safe and nothing gonna happen," Vazquez said. "But it did happen." This appears to mark one of the first instances where the Trump administration has deliberately conducted immigration enforcement on church property.
Political Backlash and Community Response
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein condemned the operations in a video statement, accusing federal agents of racial profiling and intimidating tactics. "We've seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin color," Stein stated. "This is not making us safer. It's stoking fear and dividing our community."
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the actions, stating that agents had arrested "over 130 illegal aliens" who had broken immigration laws. The agency claimed those detained included alleged gang members and other criminals, though it provided few specific details.
The operation prompted immediate backlash from faith leaders and community members. Charlotte's New Covenant AME Church, though not directly targeted, issued a strong statement calling the tactics "a violation of human dignity and a crime against humanity."
Widespread Operations and Legal Challenges
Beyond the church incident, agents conducted arrests at multiple locations across Charlotte. Manolo Betancur, owner of a Latino bakery, temporarily closed his business after witnessing immigration enforcement near his premises. "I saw them with my own eyes. And they just shoved people to the floor," he reported. "I'm scared. Nobody wants to see another human being treated that way."
In another incident captured on video, Border Patrol agents questioned two workers hanging Christmas lights in a homeowner's front yard. The agents asked the workers in Spanish about their citizenship status, though no arrests were made at that location.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Charlotte in protest against the operations, which the Trump administration has dubbed "Operation Charlotte's Web." Faith leaders have filed lawsuits in recent months challenging the administration's decision to rescind previous ICE policy that prohibited enforcement actions in sensitive locations such as places of worship, schools, and hospitals.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem now faces accusations of violating First Amendment protections and infringing on religious freedoms. The mass deportation operations represent an escalation of the administration's immigration enforcement efforts in Democratic-led cities with large immigrant populations, following similar operations in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland.
