More Than 130 Arrested in Charlotte as NC Governor Says Immigration Operation Is ‘Stoking Fear’

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has criticized a federal immigration crackdown in Charlotte as “stoking fear” and urged residents to document any misconduct, deepening a clash between state and local Democrats and the Trump administration over the operation.

The Department of Homeland Security in recent days launched “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” sending U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents into North Carolina’s largest city to arrest “criminal illegal aliens.” The agency said local “sanctuary” policies have prevented hundreds of immigration detainers from being honored, forcing federal agents to act directly.

On Nov. 16, the first day of the operation, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said agents detained at least 81 people in about five hours. Many of them had significant criminal and immigration histories, he said.

Bovino posted photos of some of those arrested and referred to them as “the worst of the worst” who had been released back onto Charlotte’s streets because of local policies.

Bovino highlighted cases that included alleged repeated drunk driving offenses and an alleged record of aggravated assault and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Monday that Border Patrol agents had arrested more than 130 illegal immigrants.

In a video message over the weekend, Stein, a Democrat, said his office has been in regular contact with local police and that “public safety is our top priority.”

He accused some federal agents of making things worse, not better.

“In Charlotte, we’ve seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin color, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots and off of our sidewalks,” the governor said. “This is not making us safer. It’s stoking fear and dividing our community.”

Stein said the country needs “strong borders” and to “deport anyone who has committed a serious crime,” but he also called for “a path to legal status for those who’ve been here a long time, paid their taxes, and followed the law.”

“North Carolina, I know this is a stressful moment, but please stay peaceful,” he said. “If you see something wrong, record it and report it to local law enforcement.”

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles addressed the operation in a statement posted on X on Nov. 17, in which she said she wanted to “speak directly to residents who have expressed concern, fear, and uncertainty.”

Lyles, a Democrat, said “the rights and constitutional protections of every person in Charlotte—regardless of immigration status—must be upheld” and that she was “deeply concerned with many of the videos” she has seen.

She said the operations can have “emotional and economic” impacts on families, neighborhoods, and local businesses.

“Charlotte is a diverse, vibrant city, and when any part of our community feels threatened or destabilized, it affects us all,” Lyles said.

The mayor praised residents who have protested peacefully, calling peaceful protest “a vital part of our democracy.” Lyles said the city would keep working with community leaders, legal advocates, and service providers “to make sure that resources, information, and support remain available” while officials navigate “complicated legal boundaries.”

“We will meet this moment together—with calm, compassion, and a steadfast dedication to the rights and well-being of all who call Charlotte home,” she wrote.

Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), whose district includes Charlotte, has also criticized the deployment. In a recent statement, she said she was “extremely concerned about the deployment of U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents to Charlotte” and called the city’s immigrant community “a proud part of the Queen City,” adding that she would not “stand by and watch [her] constituents be intimidated or harassed.”

Bovino responded on social media by drawing a distinction between immigrants and those in the country illegally.

“Rep. Adams, perhaps you & Gov. STEIN should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant,” he wrote. “Illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities and should self deport via CBP Home.”

Homeland Security officials have said the operation is a necessary response to local noncooperation in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

McLaughlin said Americans “should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors” and that DHS is “surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond by publication time to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on Stein’s remarks.