Nearly 250 Arrested in Charlotte as Immigration Crackdown Intensifies
Charlotte has seen almost 250 arrests as the immigration crackdown intensifies.
According to US officials, President Donald Trump's growing crackdown on unauthorised immigration has resulted in the arrest of over 250 persons in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Following similar actions in larger cities like Chicago and Los Angeles earlier this year, Trump has now targeted Charlotte with federal troops. The BBC was informed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials that those detained are gang members and criminals.
However, the detainments—which the federal government has called "Operation Charlotte's Web"—have drawn criticism from local legislators and others. The Democratic governor of the state has claimed that individuals are being singled out due to their race.
A DHS representative claimed in a statement on Wednesday that "some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens" have been apprehended as a result of the operation, including gang members.
The department previously stated that those detained had been found guilty of a variety of offences, such as assault on law enforcement, drunk driving, theft, and tampering with official records.
Josh Stein, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, has criticised Trump's actions and accused officials of racial targeting locals.
"We've seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin colour, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots," Stein stated on Sunday. "This is not making us safer."
The Democrat mayor of the city asked federal authorities to act with "respect" for the community's ideals. She also praised the large number of people who demonstrated against the Trump administration's policies in the city on Saturday.
"I am deeply concerned with many of the videos I've seen," Mayor Vi Lyles stated. "You are not alone if you are experiencing anxiety or terror in Charlotte. Your city supports you.
The duration of the raids has not been disclosed by DHS. The crackdown in Chicago began in September and continues to this day. According to local media reports, some migrants in Charlotte are remaining at home out of dread of federal officials in the city, just like in other places affected by immigration crackdowns.
Stein says he's monitoring allegations that the operation will move to Raleigh, another North Carolina city, next.
"Once again, I call on federal agents to target violent criminals, not neighbors walking down the street, going to church, or putting up Christmas decorations," he wrote.
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