skip to contentAdvertisementFederal authorities confirmed on Saturday that a large number of agents were conducting immigration enforcement in North Carolina’s largest city, as agents were seen making arrests at several locations.By: Express Web Desk November 16, 2025 06:49 AM IST First published on: Nov 16, 2025 at 06:49 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookWilly Aceituno, left, makes a police report with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer N. Sherill, after US Customs and Border Protection officers broke his window during an enforcement operation in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo)US immigration agents conducted raids in the banking hub of North Carolina’s Charlotte on Saturday, said the Department of Homeland Security despite the opposition from local leaders, prompting activists and elected officials to support local residents as President Donald Trump’s administration expands its crackdown on illegal immigration, Reuters reported.Federal authorities confirmed on Saturday that a large number of agents were conducting immigration enforcement in North Carolina’s largest city, as agents were seen making arrests at several locations. Homeland security spokesperson, in a statement said, “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.”Why Trump administration send agents to Charlotte?As per local officials, Charlotte is home to about 900,000 residents where about 150,000 people are foreign born. The city is run by a Democratic mayor, however, the two US Senators of North Carolina are Republicans and Trump also won the state in the last three presidential elections. This image taken from video provided by Rheba Hamilton shows US Border Patrol agents leaving a yard after approaching two men hanging lights in Charlotte. (AP)The fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutskaha on a Charlotte light-rail train in August triggered the Trump administration to say that Democratic-led cities have failed to protect citizens. Though crime has seen a dip by about 20% in the city until August as compared with the same period in 2024. Is National Guard deployed in Charlotte?There has been no signal that National Guards would be deployed in North Carolina’s Charlotte, however, at least three Republican leaders of North Carolina’s congressional delegation have urged Democratic Governor Josh Stein to request for the guards. The governor’s office declined the requests and said local police remain the best choice to keep neighbourhoods safe.Too many working people are being kicked while they are down In North Carolina. We don’t have to be a part of that. When people are counting on us to take action, we can and must answer that call.— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) November 15, 2025Earlier, the Trump administration had deployed National Guard troops to the District of Columbia, Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee area attributing it to a rising crime in Democratic run cities and to protect immigration agents. Courts have blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guards in the Chicago area and Portland, Oregon so far.(with inputs from agencies)AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...