Federal Agents Arrest 81 in Charlotte as Trump Administration Intensifies Deportation Drive
Senior commander Gregory Bovino—who led immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles and Chicago before arriving in Charlotte this week—said on social media that the arrests occurred during a roughly five-hour sweep on Saturday, the first day the team operated in the city. Bovino added that many of those detained had “significant criminal and immigration history.”
“Many of those arrested had significant criminal and immigration history,” — Gregory Bovino (social media post)
Requests for comment from the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were not returned on Sunday.
Mass deportations and heightened immigration enforcement have been central elements of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy. Since January, federal immigration agents have carried out coordinated raids in major cities—often those led by Democratic officials—as well as in more conservative rural areas. These operations have frequently sparked large protests, with residents confronting agents and rights groups accusing authorities of detaining law-abiding people caught up in the sweeps.
DHS officials said the Charlotte operation responded to the refusal of local authorities to comply with nearly 1,400 federal detainer requests, which ask jails to hold individuals for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release to allow federal agents to take custody.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and other city leaders urged calm and directed residents seeking assistance to local government resources. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed it is not participating in the federal raids.
If you have information or were affected by the operation, contact the news desk or visit the Mayor’s office for guidance.
