At least 10 people were reportedly arrested on the afternoon of Thursday, September 24, during a checkpoint to verify driver's licenses in the city of Tabor City, in which the Columbus County Sheriff's Office participated, the organization Siembra NC reported.

The organization indicated that it spoke with relatives of the arrested persons and with several witnesses to the operation, carried out near the intersection of NC 904 and Pireway Road, approximately between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm

According to testimonies gathered by Siembra NC, there were sheriff's office vehicles, cars with tinted windows, and plainclothes officers at the scene.

Several witnesses stated that officers asked Latino drivers where they were born and arrested people who could not produce a state ID.

They also noted that officers questioned passengers—not just drivers—about their migratory situation and they arrested some of them.

Related:  Who needs to process REAL ID in North Carolina?

“We only went home after work”

Javier Carbajal, an electrician who passed through the checkpoint on his way home with his colleagues after his workday, said that he presented his driver's license, but an officer ordered him to get out of the vehicle and searched him.

According to Carbajal, the agents later questioned one of his colleagues, who was traveling as a passenger, and told him They requested documentsWhen he couldn't produce them, he was arrested.

“We are electricians. We were just returning home after a long day of work,” Carbajal said.

“I showed them my license, but they made me get out of the car and the sheriff searched me. Then they started asking my passenger for documents. When he couldn't show them, they arrested him. I saw them putting several more people into a van.”

Two other witnesses said they saw Latino men detained on the side of the road, with their hands tied with plastic zip ties.

Related:  What to do if you encounter the police, ICE, or other federal agents? The rights you should know

Families were searching for the detainees

By Friday morning, several of the families who contacted Siembra NC They still did not know where their loved ones had been taken.

Family members reported that they called the Columbus County Detention Center and the Onslow and New Hanover County Detention Centers, but were unable to locate the detainees.

“This is exactly what we warn happens when local law enforcement becomes an extension of ICE,” said Andreina Malki, Defense Manager at Siembra NC.

“A checkpoint to verify licenses should not turn into an immigration raid where returning workers are asked where they were born, passengers are required to show immigration documents, and families have to call from jail to jail to find their loved ones,” he added.

Malki argued that the Columbus County agreement 287(g) It brought the enforcement of immigration laws to routine meetings between residents and local authorities.

Columbus County agreement with ICE

Columbus County Sheriff's Office participates in the program's 287(g) working group model from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The agreement, signed in 2025, allows designated local agents to exercise limited federal immigration powers as part of their routine police work, under the supervision of ICE.

Thursday's operation occurred three weeks after another checkpoint on September 3 in Tabor City. Siembra NC reported that, on that occasion, at least three people were subsequently transferred to ICE custody.

The organization reported that it continues to document Thursday's arrests and is trying to determine the whereabouts of those detained and which agencies were involved in the operation.

Anyone who has passed through the checkpoint, witnessed any of the arrests, or has information about a detained person can contact Siembra NC's immigration defense hotline at 336-543-0353 .

Columbus County Sheriff's Office 

Columbus County is located in the southeasternmost part of North Carolina, on the border with South Carolina.

Among its main cities and towns are:

• Whiteville (the county seat)
• Tabor City
• Chadbourn
• Fair Bluff
• Lake Waccamaw
• Bolton
• Cerro Gordo
• Evergreen
• Boardman

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Siembra NC reports at least 10 arrests during a checkpoint in Tabor City

by Walter Gomez, Enlace Latino NC
September 26, 2026

Enlace Latino NCSeptember 26, 2026 At least 10 people were reportedly arrested on the afternoon of Thursday, September 24, during a checkpoint to verify driver's licenses in the city of Tabor City, in which the Columbus County Sheriff's Office participated, the organization Siembra NC reported. The organization stated that it spoke with relatives of those detained and with several witnesses to the operation, which took place near the intersection of NC Highway. 904 and Pireway Road, approximately between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm According to testimonies gathered by Siembra NC, there were sheriff's office vehicles, cars with tinted windows, and plainclothes officers at the scene. Several witnesses stated that officers asked Latino drivers where they were born and arrested people who could not produce a state ID. They also noted that officers questioned passengers—not just drivers—about their immigration status and detained some of them. Pireway Road Related: Who needs to apply for a REAL ID in North Carolina? “We only went home after work” Javier Carbajal, an electrician who passed through the checkpoint on his way home with his colleagues after his workday, said that he presented his driver's license, but an officer ordered him to get out of the vehicle and searched him. According to Carbajal, the agents later questioned one of his colleagues, who was traveling as a passenger, and asked him for documents . When he couldn't show them, he was arrested. “We are electricians. “We were just returning home after a long day of work,” Carbajal said. “I showed them my license, but they made me get out of the car and the sheriff searched me. Then they started asking my passenger for documents. When he couldn't show them, he was arrested. I saw them putting several more people into a van.” Two other witnesses said they saw Latino men detained on the side of the road, with their hands tied with plastic zip ties. Related: What to do in an encounter with the police, ICE, or other federal agents? The rights you should know Families were searching for the detainees As of Friday morning, several of the families who contacted Siembra NC still did not know where their loved ones had been taken. Family members reported that they called the Columbus County Detention Center and the Onslow and New Hanover County Detention Centers, but were unable to locate the detainees. “This is exactly what we warn happens when local law enforcement becomes an extension of ICE,” said Andreina Malki, Defense Manager at Siembra NC. “A checkpoint to verify licenses should not turn into an immigration raid where returning workers are asked where they were born, passengers are required to show immigration documents, and families have to call from jail to jail to find their loved ones,” he added. Malki argued that Columbus County's 287(g) agreement brought the enforcement of immigration laws into routine encounters between residents and local authorities. Columbus County agreement with ICE The Columbus County Sheriff's Office participates in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program task force model . The agreement, signed in 2025, allows designated local agents to exercise limited federal immigration powers as part of their routine police work, under the supervision of ICE. Thursday's operation occurred three weeks after another checkpoint was set up on September 3 in Tabor City. Siembra NC confirmed that, on that occasion, at least three people were subsequently transferred to ICE custody. The organization reported that it continues to document Thursday's arrests and is trying to determine the whereabouts of those detained and which agencies were involved in the operation. Anyone who has passed through the checkpoint, witnessed any of the arrests, or has information about a detained person can contact Siembra NC's immigration defense hotline at 336-543-0353 . Columbus County Sheriff's Office Columbus County is located in the southeasternmost part of North Carolina, on the border with South Carolina. Its main cities and towns include: Whiteville (the county seat) Tabor City Chadbourn Fair Bluff Lake Waccamaw Bolton Cerro Gordo Evergreen Boardman This <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/siembra-nc-reporta-al-menos-10-arrestos-durante-un-reten-en-tabor-city/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org">Enlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/siembra-nc-reporta-al-menos-4.0-arrestos-durante-un-reten-en-tabor-city/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

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