The “Charlotte’s Web” operation by Border Patrol in Charlotte caused fear among undocumented immigrants, who felt forced to stay inside their homes to avoid being detected by immigration agents.
The weeklong operation began Saturday, Nov. 15, focusing first on the South Boulevard corridor, according to reports of sightings of federal vehicles that had been stopping workers at Home Depot stores and near supermarkets and shops.
This led many supermarkets, bakeries, shops and restaurants in different parts of the city to completely close their doors or adopt safety measures and adjust their operating hours to protect their employees and customers.
Some supermarkets chose to remain open but began offering free home delivery to help their customers.
Likewise, countless construction sites around Charlotte decided to halt their projects because many of their workers are immigrants.
Without Employees or Customers
The absence of both workers and Latino immigrant customers caused losses for businesses, the extent of which is still being determined.
“We didn’t close because many people were buying online or by phone, and we also had Americans who did the favor of purchasing groceries for those who were afraid to go out,” said the manager of a supermarket located on South Boulevard who asked not to be named, along with the business.
The manager said that from Saturday, Nov. 15, to Sunday, Nov. 23, sales fell by 50%, which so far represents a loss of at least $100,000.
Enlace Latino NC confirmed during a visit to neighborhoods near South Boulevard on Wednesday, Nov. 18, that parking lots were completely filled with work trucks and private vehicles.
“We can’t go out to work, or to buy anything, or even to take out the trash, because Border Patrol trucks have been driving by here all day,” said a resident of an apartment complex on Nations Ford Road.
That day, the trucks of the agency, also known as Customs and Border Protection (CBP), were driving through neighborhoods along Archdale Road, Old Pineville Road and Nations Ford Road. A helicopter was also seen flying over these predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, causing even more anxiety.
Major Losses for Businesses in East Charlotte
The economic impact on businesses in east Charlotte was revealed in a survey conducted by the organization Charlotte East, which held emergency online community meetings attended by more than 500 people, including elected officials, activists, organizational leaders and community members.
“We had 90 small businesses fill out our survey, 70% of them from east Charlotte. They responded with how many days they stayed closed or how long they stayed open,” Greg Asciutto of Charlotte East told Enlace Latino NC.
The survey showed businesses with losses ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 per day. Of the 90 businesses, 47% stayed closed for three or more days, 30% never closed and 17% closed for two days.
One of the businesses that fully closed until Sunday, Nov. 23, was Manolo’s Bakery, located at 4405 Central Avenue. The bakery became a symbolic place during the week of the operation, serving as a gathering point for U.S. residents who came to show support and for groups of young people who held loud protests for several nights.
“I think my losses that week are between $70,000 and $80,000, and that’s because it was the week before Thanksgiving, which is always very good because people buy many desserts and cakes,” said Manuel “Manolo” Betancur, owner of the bakery.
Betancur is known as the “bread hero” for defending immigrant rights and for his altruistic work helping those in need, including homeless residents, as well as for his trips to Ukraine to assist war victims.
“I’m taking a risk this week opening part time because ICE is still nearby, and even though we have documents, it creates fear. But thanks to the support of Americans at the bakery we feel safer. We are living one day at a time,” said Betancur, who is from Colombia.
Operating Discreetly
Enlace Latino NC arrived at a restaurant in south Charlotte, where we observed how one of its owners spent the first days of the operation with her employees.
We visited on Wednesday, Nov. 18, after the organization Comunidad Colectiva reported a sighting of Border Patrol trucks in the parking lot of the shopping complex where the restaurant is located.
The organization shares real-time sightings of Border Patrol vehicles on its social media and WhatsApp channel, thanks to its network of verifiers.
María Fernanda Molina had to keep the entrance door to her restaurant, Las Américas, closed while watching the parking lot. Half an hour earlier, at 1:41 p.m., Comunidad Colectiva had reported the presence of federal trucks.
Molina told us she only opened the door when she recognized the person arriving to eat. Meanwhile, inside, the lights were kept low and the “open” sign was turned off. From the street, the place looked closed even though it was operating discreetly.
“We want to protect our employees and also our customers,” Molina told Enlace Latino NC. “This has had a strong impact on the entire community, especially all of us who own businesses.”
Since the start of the “Charlotte Webb” operation by Border Patrol on Saturday, Nov. 15, Molina’s restaurant, like others in the Queen City, has had to adjust its operating hours.
“We closed on Saturday at 4 p.m. On Sunday, we were closed all day. We decided to open again because some customers were also asking for it, but everything with those safety measures,” she added.
Even so, most of her Latino customers prefer not to leave their homes. The fear of encountering agents on the road or in parking lots has emptied businesses and left the streets unusually quiet. The restaurant, Molina said, receives only a fraction of its usual clientele.
“I’ve been living in this country for 25 years, and honestly, I feel heartbroken by everything that’s happening,” Molina said. “It’s not because we’re Latino; there should be no difference. We are all human beings, even if we have different skin colors, different languages, different religions or different political beliefs. But we are human.”
>>> How Fear of Border Patrol Is Changing the Daily Lives of Latino Families in the West
The Fear That Paralyzes Workers
The fear that keeps the streets empty has also transformed the lives of the people who used to fill those businesses.
One of them, an immigrant who has lived in Charlotte for 13 years and asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, has not left his home since Saturday.
“It’s very frustrating because they say they are going after criminals, but that’s not true. They are chasing us — the working class. Many of those they have detained are parents, sons, nephews, people without any criminal record,” he told Enlace Latino NC.
The immigrant explained that other workers and small business owners he knows are going through the same situation, including a construction contractor.
“He says, ‘My expenses don’t stop, my bills don’t stop,’ and he’s worried because his clients are pressuring him to continue the work and finish it, but his workers aren’t going and neither is he,” he said.
For him and his family, the hardest part isn’t just the loss of income but the constant anguish.
“My son is very scared. He can’t understand why I’m still in this situation. That’s what worries us most as parents,” he said.
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