North Carolina Republicans Warn Trump’s Immigration Raids Could Backfire in Key Swing State

Some North Carolina Republican leaders are warning that the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement in the Charlotte area could damage GOP standing in a pivotal battleground state. Though the White House promotes the operation as a crackdown on the “worst of the worst,” viral videos and local reporting about detentions of people without criminal records have shifted public attention and prompted concern within the party.

Why Republicans Are Worried

Party figures say the administration’s narrative — that the sweep targets violent criminals and dangerous offenders — is being drowned out by images that highlight arrests of families, workers and other people who may lack criminal histories. Former North Carolina governor Pat McCrory said recent incidents, such as an arrest at a Charlotte shopping center and a raid at a private country club, have eroded the GOP’s traditional advantage on immigration.

“Republicans had the upper hand on immigration, as long as they were going after the criminals and the gangs, but I think they’re losing the upper hand on that issue because of the apparent disjointed implementation of arrest,” McCrory said. “From a PR and political standpoint, for the first time, immigration is maybe having a negative impact on my party.”

Moderate Republican Edwin Peacock III, who recently lost an at-large Charlotte City Council race, warned the raids could leave “a real sour aftertaste” with voters. “Is the price of doing this worth it?” he asked, expressing the fear that images of noncriminal detentions will linger in voters’ minds.

Operations, Numbers and Uncertainty

Department of Homeland Security officials have defended the Charlotte-area enforcement surge as focused on dangerous offenders. DHS released figures saying the operation has resulted in about 370 arrests and said it targeted “some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” but agency spokespeople declined to give a full breakdown of how many of those arrested had criminal convictions. In an earlier two-day period, DHS reported that 44 of 130 people arrested had been accused of crimes such as aggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault on a police officer, battery, DUI and hit-and-runs, and that two known gang members were among those detained.

At the same time, lawmakers and local officials have pointed to other figures and anecdotes suggesting a significant share of those arrested did not have criminal records. Representative Maria Salazar noted that roughly 200 people were arrested over 48 hours and cited DHS figures indicating about 70 percent of those detained did not have criminal records. That contrast between enforcement numbers and visible local incidents has deepened political anxieties for Republicans in the state.

Political and Community Reactions

Democratic leaders have condemned the operations as indiscriminate and accused agents of racial profiling. North Carolina’s governor described scenes of masked, heavily armed agents as alarming and said some citizens report being stopped or detained based on appearance. Local churches, schools and businesses have reported heightened fear, and some establishments temporarily closed during the operation.

Within the state GOP, leaders say they are trying to re-focus attention on arrests of criminal offenders, but they acknowledge that compelling visual narratives from social media and local news coverage are hard to counter. North Carolina GOP chair Jason Simmons emphasized that enforcement actions have removed dangerous people from the streets, while others cautioned that messaging alone may not be enough to blunt the political fallout.

Impact on the Senate Race

The enforcement surge has already become a campaign issue in the competitive Senate contest. Michael Whatley, the Republican candidate, has used the raids to attack his opponent’s record and accused the former governor of vetoing measures that would have required local law enforcement to honor immigration detainers. Democrats argue the raids demonstrate harmful federal overreach and defend their records on public safety.

GOP strategists fear the enduring image from the raids — whether it is the removal of convicted criminals or a citizen being separated from family — will shape voter sentiment in the Charlotte region, a key population center that could influence statewide turnout and results.

Outlook

The White House has signaled it will continue similar enforcement operations. For North Carolina Republicans, the central challenge will be whether they can keep public focus on dangerous offenders rather than the collateral effects and human stories now dominating the conversation — a dynamic that could influence party prospects among Latino voters and other swing constituencies ahead of next year’s elections.

Diana Nerozzi contributed to reporting for this article.