Protest against Border Patrol operations in the "Queen City" in front of Manolo's Bakery on Central Avenue, Charlotte, November 21, 2025. / Claudia Rivera Cotto, ELNC
Protest against Border Patrol operations in the "Queen City" in front of Manolo's Bakery on Central Avenue, Charlotte, November 21, 2025. / Claudia Rivera Cotto, ELNC

Immigrant arrests in Charlotte and North Carolina have not stopped; on the contrary, they have intensified since operating Charlotte's Web, carried out by the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP), known as the Border Patrol, in November.

Since then, construction workers, gardeners, people who have entered prison, and immigrants who come to their homes have been arrested. annual check-up appointment at the offices of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Charlotte. 

On operation carried out in November According to CBP, more than half of those detained had no criminal record. However, in the arrests carried out by ICE agents since that month, more immigrants with criminal charges have been arrested, many of them in jail.

Enlace Latino NC  analyzed the data released by the Deportation Data Project , from Berkeley, which he obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

This data, updated to March 10, has allowed us to determine who was detained during the Border Patrol operation, as well as the immigrants who have been detained since then.

Source: Deportation Data Project

More arrests since November

From Operation Charlotte's Web which lasted for a week (Saturday, November 15 - Friday, November 21) until March 10, that is, for a period of four months They were arrested 2,609 immigrants  in North Carolina. 

Reviewing the immigration detentions carried out from January 20, 2025, when President Trump took office, until November 14 of this year, prior to the November operation, occurred 3,540 arrests  migration in a period close to nine months.  

These data indicate that the immigration arrests They have intensified in North Carolina after the November operation and continue to break records, compared to data from most of 2025. 

Bar chart compares immigration detentions before and after Operation Charlottes Web

Related:  Class action lawsuit over illegal arrests during immigration raids in North Carolina

More than 6,000 arrested since Trump took office

In total, from January 20, 2025 to March 10 of this year, [number] people have been arrested. 6,149 people  by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in North Carolina, including those arrested by CBP. 

6k graphic of arrests in North Carolina

Most arrests in the Charlotte area 

Between November 15 and March 10, 2,609 arrests were recorded; of these, 1,064 —almost half— occurred in the Charlotte area, which includes Mecklenburg County.

The report also shows that arrests have been made in jails and unspecified locations in the Triangle area, the Triad area, and several rural counties. It should be noted that the ICE regional office It is located in Charlotte. 

Bar chart compares ICE arrests in Charlotte vs. the rest of North Carolina

139 minors

Based on the same figure, 139 of those arrested are under 21 years old, including a 7-year-old Mexican girl, detained in Charlotte; an 8-year-old boy and girl, both detainees in Mecklenburg; and an 8-year-old Mexican girl, detained in Charlotte. 

Related:  What are the rights of minors during an immigration raid?

Who were arrested in Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web's week-long operation began on the morning of Saturday, November 15th and extended until Friday, November 21st, when NC Planting Verifiers, They reported dozens of trucks leaving a property near the airport heading towards South Carolina on Interstate 85. 

At least 200 masked agents Border Patrol agents arrived in Queen City in unmarked trucks and began chasing dozens of people through neighborhoods, streets, and commercial areas. Helicopters and drones were seen flying over various parts of the city. 

This unprecedented operation caused thousands of school absencesThe closure of businesses east of Charlotte and South Boulevard caused many people to remain hidden in their homes. 

According to the report, the number of detainees was 379 , a figure that differs from the official information released by the DHS of 425. 

"Stop ICE Cruelty" reads a banner carried by a woman during a protest in Charlotte.
Dozens protest in Charlotte on Wednesday, November 19, in front of the Home Depot on Wendover Rd. in the east of the city, against Border Patrol arrests/Patricia Ortiz

More than half of those arrested had no criminal record

The report indicates that more than half of those arrested in the operation They had not committed crimes Beyond immigration violations, it was also found that 273 of those detained were targeted by immigration agents, while 105 were collateral arrests. 

Criminality of the detainees:  99 convicted criminals, 81 with pending criminal charges and 198 listed as “other immigration offenders”. 

Case status:  161 requested voluntary deportation, 104 had a final deportation order, 25 were deported, and 75 cases remain active.

Gender:  352 men, 26 women, 1 gender unknown. 

Minors of 21 years:  25 

Nationality:  140 Mexicans, 80 Hondurans, 62 Guatemalans, 24 Salvadorans, 19 Venezuelans, 10 Colombians, among other nationalities. 

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ICE is arresting more immigrants who face charges  

The report shows that from Operation Charlotte's Web (November 22) to March 10, ICE has detained 2,230 immigrants, of whom more than 1,700 face criminal charges or are convicted.

Upon investigation, it was found that 1,409  Of the arrests, 665 occurred in prisons, and 665 outside of them, while 154 were through the 287(g) program

This could indicate that the increase in prison detentions has occurred after the law came into effect on October 1. HB 318 lawwhich forces marshals to collaborate with ICE and, evidently, facilitates these arrests. 

Under this law, sheriffs in North Carolina are required to notify ICE before releasing a detained person if she is subject to an immigration detention order and has been arrested for certain crimes.

Criminality of the detainees:  738 convicted criminals, 1,051 with pending criminal charges, and 441 were “other immigration violators”. 

Case status:  428 requested voluntary deportation, 366 had final deportation orders, 93 have been deported, 98 are listed in another similar category “deported/removed”, while 1,192 have active cases. 

Gender:  2054 men, 175 women, 10 gender unknown.

Minors of 21 years:  238

Nationality:  929 Mexicans, 416 Hondurans, 224 Guatemalans, 127 Salvadorans, 154 Venezuelans and 68 Colombians, among other nationalities.  

ICE agent holding an immigration document
Under HB 318, the sheriff must issue a "detainer" or hold for up to 48 hours from the time the detainee would be free and must notify ICE two hours before releasing the person/ICE Multimedia

After the storm

A year ago, Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina. The Latino community responded with something stronger than the storm: solidarity. 

🎧 In this episode, learn how Latino organizations transformed crisis into resilience.

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Community journalist Enlace Latino NC. Of Colombian origin, Patricia covers a variety of topics related to the Latino community in North Carolina. Her journalistic work has been recognized...

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