Outrage Over Border Patrol Raids in Charlotte

By Cash Michaels –

Masked agents with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) descended upon Charlotte on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

The agents were purportedly doing what President Trump has boasted their mission has been since federal authorities have conducted raids in other Democrat-run cities this year:

“…to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest mass deportation program in history.”

Thus, according to published reports, masked federal Border Patrol agents were seen going to a shopping center, a church, and other locations, chasing people down by foot, and arresting people they suspected to be illegal immigrants in the country. The operation was dubbed “Charlotte’s Web.”

Members of an east Charlotte church cleaning the outside yard reportedly ran into the woods to escape CBP officers, who then proceeded to arrest one of their members in front of children.

In at least one case, CBP agents were videotaped breaking a car window in an attempt to apprehend the occupant. At that shopping center, agents were seen dragging a woman out of a business as she struggled to get free.

Businesses there allowed their employees to slip out the back door so that they could elude the CBP officers.

A published report about this raid stated that, “Agents parked just outside a closed gate leading to the church parking lot and ran into the yard, said the pastor, who did not want to identify himself or his church. The agents asked no questions and showed no identification before taking one man away, whose wife and child were inside at the time, the pastor said.”

At least one man had to insist that he as a US citizen as his truck window was smashed, while a woman also maintained that she was not in the country illegally as CBP officers handcuffed her, and then took her phone. There is also a report and video of CBP agents arresting a teenager working at a Super G Mart in Pineville and holding him on the ground.

There were large protests in Charlotte and in Raleigh against the CBP raids.

Gov. Josh Stein said that the raids are stoking fear in citizens. “To the CBP: If you know that we have violent criminals in Charlotte who are undocumented, we want them out too,” Stein said. “But the actions of too many federal agents are doing the exact opposite 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,” Stein said. “Going after landscapers simply decorating a Christmas tree in someone’s front yard. And entering churches and stores to grab people.” “It’s stoking fear and dividing our community.”

“Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.”

None of the people of Hispanic heritage taken into custody are known to have broken any laws, local officials say. For the weekend, more than 140 people were arrested and taken into custody.

Charlotte officials expressed outrage at the actions of the CBP agents.

Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC-12), declared to reporters the day before the CBP raids began, “I think they need to stay home! We don’t need that kind of disruption, and we don’t need them coming in here and antagonizing our citizens.”

“I’ve heard from a lot of people who are concerned about this. When I look at what has happened in other cities, how people have been treated, abused even in physical ways, we don’t want that in Charlotte, we don’t need that in Charlotte….I’m opposed to it, I’m against it, and I just want our citizens to be safe.”

A joint statement, released before the raids, from Charlotte Mayor Vy Lyles, Mecklenburg County Board of commissioners Chairman Mark Jerrell, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Chair Stephanie Sneed, states, “The expected U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (commonly called “Border Patrol”) operations are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty in our community as recent operations in other cities have resulted in people without criminal records being detained and violent protests being the result of unwarranted actions.

“We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives, contributing to our larger community. Each of our organizations have made commitments to the people we serve to protect their rights and dignity. We are committed to following the law and to protecting the rights of all people who call Charlotte and Mecklenburg County home.”

The joint statement also made clear that neither the Charlotte Police Dept. nor the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Dept. had anything to do with the CBP raids.

Anderson Clayton, chair of the NC Democratic Party, also weighed in with her outrage.

“Since being elected, Donald Trump has used federal law enforcement as political props for reality TV-style stunts. This has only caused unnecessary chaos and sown fear in our communities, and has done nothing to create trust with law enforcement.”

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, including the hundred thousand plus immigrants that live and work in Charlotte,” Clayton continued. “Our community, our state, and our nation are stronger for them. Now is not the time to give in to fear and division. Now is the time to build community, and the North Carolina Democratic Party stands with all its neighbors in Charlotte.

Regarding the mass protest against CBP agents, NCDP Chair Clayton cautioned, “ I know there are a lot of people who are rightly pissed off about these intimidation tactics being brought to their home town. I urge everyone who is exercising their first amendment rights to remain peaceful and follow the law. We cannot allow ourselves to be provoked.”

Adrian Maldonado Jr., president of the NCDP Hispanic-American Caucus, also had words for his community.

“What we are witnessing is political tyranny at its core, it is no mistake Donald Trump chose the city that thousands of immigrants call home. Now is the time more than ever to stand with our immigrant neighbors. We are a nation of immigrants, and we must continue to work until every person in our state, regardless of their status, is safe.”

The NC Republican Party defended CBP’s operation in Charlotte, saying that they were after “violent criminals.”