Federal Agents Launch ‘Charlotte’s Web’ Immigration Crackdown in North Carolina
London, UK – November 17, 2025
The city of Charlotte, North Carolina, has become the latest and most intense focal point of the US government’s renewed, high-profile immigration crackdown.
Federal law enforcement, including agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have launched a large-scale operation ominously dubbed “Charlotte’s Web,” targeting undocumented immigrants across the metropolitan area.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated the operation is aimed at “violent criminal illegal aliens” who have allegedly found refuge due to local “sanctuary” policies.
However, the surge has sparked immediate protests and widespread panic in immigrant communities, with many non-criminal residents fearing they are being swept up in the dragnet.
The operation was officially launched over the weekend, with agents in distinctive green uniforms, masks, and sunglasses seen conducting arrests in areas with high immigrant populations, particularly along Central Avenue and South Boulevard—key corridors in East Charlotte.
The sudden deployment followed weeks of anticipation after the Trump administration signalled its intent to expand immigration enforcement into cities and states where local authorities have resisted honouring all federal immigration detainers.
These are requests for local jails to hold individuals suspected of being undocumented until federal agents can take them into custody.
The Official Justification for the Surge
The DHS, under Secretary Kristi Noem, has framed “Charlotte’s Web” as a necessary measure to ensure public safety in a city they accuse of being insufficiently cooperative.
In a public statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin asserted: “Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors.
We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.”
The statement explicitly referenced the 1,400 detainers that have allegedly not been honoured across North Carolina, citing examples of individuals released back into the community who were charged with serious crimes, including sexual battery and weapons offenses.
However, local law enforcement agencies, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), have stated they do not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
Sheriff Garry McFadden previously ended a voluntary cooperation agreement with ICE and has pushed back on state laws that attempt to mandate closer cooperation, arguing that holding people solely based on suspected immigration violations without a judicial warrant is unconstitutional and erodes trust between immigrant communities and local police.
This operational vacuum, the federal government argues, necessitated the dramatic deployment of federal agents.
Fear, Protests, and Economic Disruption
The immediate impact on Charlotte’s immigrant communities was palpable. Reports indicate that multiple businesses, particularly along the busy Central Avenue, closed their doors on Saturday as federal agents were seen pursuing and arresting individuals.
Restaurants and small retail shops locked up early, fearing both the presence of agents and the collapse of local foot traffic.
The crackdown also triggered an immediate and robust response from civil rights groups and Democratic officials.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Uptown Charlotte to condemn the deployment, accusing the administration of using scare tactics and racial profiling.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, along with other local leaders, issued a joint statement expressing grave concern that the operation was “causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty” among the city’s law-abiding residents.
Attorneys and civil liberties organisations have rapidly mobilised to offer legal advice and monitor the actions of the federal agents, particularly after similar, controversial operations in Chicago, which were criticized for aggressive tactics and questionable arrests.
The National Strategy and Future Targets
“Charlotte’s Web” is not an isolated event but a key component of the administration’s broader national strategy to tighten immigration enforcement outside of border areas.
The operation follows a controversial crackdown in Chicago, which saw the deployment of outspoken Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who is reportedly also overseeing the Charlotte mission.
Internal government documents suggest the operations involve significant resources, potentially including armored vehicles and special operations teams, underscoring the severity of the enforcement approach.
Once the current operation concludes, the focus is expected to shift next to the city of New Orleans, where officials are reportedly planning an operation already nicknamed the “Catahoula Crunch.”
This sequential pattern demonstrates the administration’s deliberate strategy to apply escalating pressure on cities and counties that have adopted ‘sanctuary’ policies, leveraging federal power to override local resistance.
The use of militaristic terminology for these domestic law enforcement actions continues to draw fire from critics who argue it unnecessarily escalates tensions and risks harm to communities. For the people of Charlotte, the coming days are clouded by fear and legal uncertainty as federal agents continue to patrol their streets.
Headline Points
* Operation Launch:
Federal agents from DHS/CBP launched “Operation Charlotte’s Web” in Charlotte, North Carolina, to target undocumented immigrants.
* Official Target: DHS claims the operation is specifically targeting “violent criminal illegal aliens” who have been protected by local “sanctuary” policies.
* Local Resistance: The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department do not participate in federal immigration enforcement, which DHS cited as the reason for the federal surge.
* Community Impact: The operation has caused widespread fear, with many businesses in immigrant-heavy areas closing and hundreds of residents protesting the deployment.
* Future Deployment: After Charlotte, the federal immigration enforcement effort is expected to shift its focus to New Orleans with an operation reportedly called the “Catahoula Crunch.”
