CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Echosphere) — Local officials and community organizers in Charlotte are bracing for a looming federal immigration operation that they describe as an invasion. As word spreads that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents may initiate enforcement actions as early as Saturday, local activists are urging peaceful protests and documenting any federal agent actions from a safe distance.
'We are witnessing an unprecedented moment in our city,' said Mecklenburg County Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, whose own family has a history of immigration. 'This feels like a nightmare revisited, and we have to stand together to resist it.'
Sheriff Garry McFadden has indicated that federal representatives have informed him about the impending operation, though specific details remain sparse. Meanwhile, community organizations are mobilizing volunteers to learn about their rights and how to safely protest the planned enforcement actions, echoing the troubling trends observed in cities like Chicago.
'We've witnessed the chaos and fear that results when the federal government intervenes in our neighborhoods,' said state Rep. Jordan Lopez, alluding to incidents where law enforcement has used excessive force. 'These are innocent people being targeted in their own homes during the night.'
Although officials have received no formal notification from Washington about the mission in Charlotte, local and state leaders express deep concern over the implications for their immigrant populations. Charlotte City Council member-elect JD Mazuera Arias, a naturalized citizen himself, remarked on the pervasive fear among immigrants: 'Our local resources will not be used for federal immigration operations.'
Community leader Héctor Vaca stated that the Black and immigrant community feels directly targeted by the Trump administration's policies. 'We’re facing a racist campaign of terror, and we must respond collectively.'
Despite the federal government's assertion that these operations are necessary for public safety, many local officials argue that such tactics breed fear and further divisions within the community. They emphasize the importance of unity and action against a backdrop of intimidation tactics used by the administration.
Cameron Pruette of the Freedom Center for Social Justice urged residents to support immigrant-owned businesses and to peacefully protest against impending enforcement actions. He concluded, 'Let this be a time of solidarity, where we lift each other up in this moment of crisis.'
'We will not allow Charlotte to be a staging ground for intimidation,' added Arias. 'Conducting immigration policies through fear is not the way to ensure our community's safety.'
