Immigration Enforcement Operation in Charlotte: Community Impacts Persist

Immigration Enforcement Operation in Charlotte: Community Impacts Persist

Following a week-long immigration enforcement operation in mid-November, during which the government reported hundreds of immigrant arrests, Border Patrol agents subsequently shifted operations to New Orleans. Despite the agents' departure from Charlotte, immigrant communities in the city are currently assessing the ongoing impacts of the operation, noting sustained effects on daily life and the urban environment.

Stephanie Sneed, Chair of the Board of Education overseeing Charlotte's public school system, described the aftermath as prolonged, stating, "It's like a hurricane came through, and then we have to deal with the aftermath, which is much longer than the event itself."

During the mid-November operation, approximately 20 percent of public school children in Charlotte were absent from classes. While attendance levels began to recover the week after the agents' departure, Sneed reported instances of Latino children attending school with notes identifying their citizenship status pinned to their backpacks.

Central Avenue, a primary corridor within East Charlotte's immigrant neighborhoods, experienced reduced pedestrian traffic following the operation. Manolo Betancur, a Colombian immigrant and U.S. citizen who owns a bakery on the street, stated that the street previously experienced high pedestrian activity, particularly on weekends.

Betancur recounted observing federal agents exit an SUV, detain three men, and transport them from Central Avenue. He stated he alerted other individuals in the vicinity, who then returned to their residences. Following these events, Betancur and several other businesses temporarily closed. While his bakery has since reopened, other establishments remain closed, and pedestrian activity on Central Avenue has been notably reduced.

An undocumented immigrant from Honduras, identified as R, reported that Border Patrol agents knocked on her door twice during the operation. R, who provides childcare, stated that her routine task of walking children to school became a source of concern. She ceased using public sidewalks for this purpose, instead creating a path through adjacent wooded areas.

Another undocumented woman, identified as E, expressed ongoing apprehension regarding continued federal immigration enforcement, stating, "They're waiting for us to go outside, so they can hunt us like a cat hunts a mouse."

Some immigrants have utilized a volunteer-established support network for essential services, including food and medicine delivery. Volunteers also monitor for vehicles suspected of belonging to immigration agents and supervise children walking to school.

Lindsey Voelker and Mary Beth Stanford Picker, health workers with the Hope Community Clinic, have been involved in delivering groceries to patients. Voelker stated she takes precautions to avoid being followed, to protect the privacy of those receiving aid.

Daniela Andrade, an advocate at the Carolina Migrant Network, highlighted the impact on families of the approximately 400 immigrants detained during the operation. Many of these individuals are reportedly held in detention centers across the Southern United States. Her organization, which provides free legal representation for detained immigrants in North Carolina, has been working to locate individuals and facilitate their potential release.

Andrade advised immigrants to maintain caution if resuming daily activities. She stated that community trust has been affected, suggesting that associated apprehension will likely persist. She added that during periods of community concern, advising trust can be challenging.