Overview:
At least two more people in NC were arrested by immigration officials since last week's operation. In the wake of a large Border Patrol, operation, some local leaders respond.
At the end of last week, Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden announced the North Carolina Border Patrol operation, called “Charlotte’s Web,” was over, but U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin disputed that claim on the social platform “X,” leaving many in limbo across the state.
“The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon,” McLaughlin repeated in a statement on Monday.
Advocacy organizations across the state remained on alert this week, hosting training across the state and following up on claims of immigration enforcement sightings.
Other than a few press releases naming the “worst of the worst,” DHS has not provided information about those detained, despite multiple requests from NC Local and other outlets.
How many people were detained in this operation? Who are they?
DHS named two additional detainees since Friday, but there has not been an update from Border Patrol, ICE or DHS on the total number of arrests.
A Border Patrol spokesperson told NC Local on Monday that there was no new information. An ICE spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that there were no updates from the Enforcement and Removal Operations department.
DHS previously announced Border Patrol arrested 370 people in the North Carolina operation. News outlets have not been able to confirm the alleged number because the Department has not responded to requests for the names of people arrested in the most recent actions.
ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams explained that he was not able to share the names of the detainees due to privacy concerns. He said the decision to share information was made by DHS, the department of which ICE is a part.
Locations of detainees remain largely unknown
Nine of the people named by the DHS press releases are being held at a private prison, the Folkston ICE Processing Center and the D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Georgia, according to the ICE locator.
None of the other 11 named people named in the press releases last week appear in the locator system.
DHS released two additional names of detainees from North Carolina who were arrested by ICE. One is at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, and the other is at the Folkston ICE Processing Center and the D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Georgia.
At least one person detained by Border Patrol has made an appearance in immigration court. Fatima Issela Velasquez-Antonio from Wendell was denied bond at a federal immigration court in Lumpkin, Georgia, the News & Observer reported on Tuesday.
Until last week, the Alamance County Detention Center was the only detention facility in North Carolina officially overseen by the Enforcement and Removal Operations arm of ICE. The federal government began housing detainees at the facility in 2019, according to 2024 ICE inspection records.
Last week, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook that it would be ending its agreement to house and transport people detained by ICE in the jail effective Nov. 16, 2025.
An ICE spokesperson told NC Local again on Nov. 25 that he was not aware of the end of this agreement and that the facility is “still holding people for us.” The Alamance Sheriff’s office has not yet replied to NC Local’s request for information about whether people are still being held there.
Western North Carolina leaders respond
Border Patrol activities were confirmed by officials beyond the Charlotte area, and this week local officials responded to the effect of the presence of federal agents in their region.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Hickory Mayor Hank Guess “emphasize(d) that the City of Hickory was not consulted, nor did we participate in the enforcement actions that occurred last week.”
Guess explained the actions were carried out unilaterally by federal authorities.
“I want to be clear: every person in our community, regardless of background, race, or ethnicity, is a vital thread in the fabric of Hickory. We are stronger because of our diversity, not in spite of it,” Guess said.
He stated that the Latino community is “essential” to Hickory’s identity.
“Families, workers, students, and small business owners from all walks of life make Hickory what it is today. Their presence is not only valued, it is indispensable,” he said.
Hundreds of high school students in Hickory showed their support for immigrants with a school walk out at St. Stephens High School on Tuesday.
School officials confirmed the peaceful walk out, which was videoed and made the rounds on social media, happened during a non-instructional period.
“We know our students are feeling a range of emotions, and we respect their desire to use their voices on issues that matter to them,” Catawba County Schools said in a media statement sent to NC Local.
School officials said school and district staff as well as law enforcement were present at the protest “to ensure student safety.”
The mayor-elect of Boone, Dalton George, told Enlace Latino the presence of immigration agents was “unexpected and frightening.”
“Boone is one of the safest towns in the state; people look out for each other, and there are organizations that do great work,” he said in the interview. “For federal agents to show up out of the blue is unsettling.”
The mayor, Tim Futrelle, issued a statement last week saying he “strongly oppose(d) any unannounced or unnecessary activities by ICE within our town limits.”
DHS has not released information about how many arrests were made in Western North Carolina.
Laura Brache contributed to this post.
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