DHS Deploys Federal Agents to Charlotte; City Leaders Urge Calm as Residents Report Fear

DHS says federal agents are "surging" into Charlotte

The Department of Homeland Security said on Saturday, Nov. 15, that DHS law-enforcement personnel were being "surged" into Charlotte, North Carolina, to "ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," according to Tricia McLaughlin, the department's assistant secretary for public affairs.

What DHS said

In an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Nov. 15, McLaughlin said, "Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors." She added, "We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed. There have been too many victims of criminal illegal aliens, and President Trump and Secretary Noem will step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians won’t."

City response and guidance

The city of Charlotte released a Nov. 15 statement saying the expected U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations were causing "unnecessary fear and uncertainty" because recent operations in other cities have at times resulted in people without criminal records being detained and in violent protests.

The city urged residents that if they need assistance they should "not hesitate to call 911," and emphasized that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department "does not participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations and is not involved in the planning or execution of any federal immigration enforcement activities." Local officials also asked community members to voice concerns peacefully to avoid the confrontations seen elsewhere.

Local officials and reactions

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden said on Nov. 13 that federal authorities had not provided details about the operation, including how many agents would arrive or the mission's specifics, and that his office would not be "involved with any measures regarding enforcement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CBP."

Mayor Vi Lyles posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Nov. 13 urging calm: "I understand this news will create uncertainty and anxiety for many people in our community. Everyone in our community deserves to feel secure and I am committed to doing all that I can to inform our community, help make sure everyone feels safe, and understands their rights."

Reporters from the Charlotte Observer said that "masked federal agents" were visible in the city on Nov. 15, including at a church in east Charlotte. A pastor who declined to be named told the paper, "Right now, everybody is scared. Everybody," and described a tense interaction in which an agent said he planned to arrest someone at the church and pushed another man.

Context and controversy

The deployment to Charlotte follows federal operations in other Democratic-led cities, including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Memphis, Chicago and Portland. Those earlier actions, and the use of National Guard troops, have prompted court challenges and criticism over officers' use of force and what opponents describe as increasingly aggressive tactics.

At the end of October, President Trump said he was prepared to send "more than the National Guard" to troubled U.S. cities, saying, "We’re sending in our National Guard and if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard because we’re going to have safe cities." He made the remarks Oct. 28 at a U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, during a trip to Asia.

While Mayor Lyles and other city leaders criticized the federal deployment, Republican Congressman Tim Moore, who represents a district outside Charlotte, expressed support for the operation, saying he has "full confidence in our federal law enforcement partners and appreciates their ongoing work to uphold the rule of law and protect the people of North Carolina."

Political backdrop

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and is a Democratic stronghold in a state that the president won in last year's election. The Charlotte Observer noted that in Mecklenburg County the Democratic nominee received roughly 66% of the vote while the president carried the state by about four percentage points.

The situation remained fluid as federal and local officials provided limited operational details. Media and community groups continued to monitor developments and urged residents to remain calm and informed about their rights.