Federal agents have descended on the city of Charlotte in North Carolina as part of US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said.
Federal immigration authorities carried out nearly 100 arrests in the Charlotte area on Saturday, according to CBS, the BBC's American news partner.
Local officials, including Mayor of Charlotte Vi Lyles, released a joint statement criticising the operation, saying it was causing 'unnecessary fear and uncertainty' in the community.
Since Trump's return to office, he has deployed troops to Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Chicago to deliver on his promise of 'the largest deportation programme' in US history.
The DHS announced 'Operation Charlotte's Web' on Saturday, stating that 'criminal illegal aliens' would be targeted in the Democratic-run city.
'We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
Armoured vehicles and special operations teams could be involved in the North Charlotte crackdown, according to internal government documents seen by CBS News.
Several church members doing yard work at a church in east Charlotte fled into the woods when agents arrived, leading to the detention of one man, reported The Charlotte Observer.
Officials stated that there are 'a number of organisations standing ready to assist individuals seeking legal guidance on immigration matters'.
The DHS justified the operation, noting that North Carolina has not honoured the nearly 1,400 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, which meant they had been released due to 'sanctuary policies'.
Charlotte is not classified as a sanctuary city but is recognized as a 'certified welcoming city', committed to immigration inclusion.
Operations in previous cities like Chicago and Los Angeles have faced scrutiny over concerns of excessive force used. The DHS has not disclosed how long the raids in Charlotte will last, though they remain ongoing in Chicago.
This crackdown has raised alarm among local leaders, exemplified by Representative Alma Adams expressing extreme concern about the operation's implications for North Carolina.
The next city slated for similar operations is reported to be New Orleans, with as many as 200 agents potentially deployed there.
