Local authorities in the Charlotte region have confirmed that federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon be arriving, reflecting the ongoing tensions between federal immigration policies and the approaches of cities led by Democrats.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that while they were informed about the upcoming federal activity, they have not been requested to participate or support these efforts. A spokesperson clarified to Fox News Digital on Friday that the sheriff’s office remains uninvolved, stating, “We have no participation in any CBP immigration enforcement actions.”
This federal immigration operation in North Carolina emerges as Sheriff Garry L. McFadden, a member of the Democratic Party, continues to foster communication with federal entities while consciously steering his department away from direct involvement in federal immigration activities.
Earlier in the day, individuals detained were transported to a remote parking area on the northern edge of the city before being moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on October 31, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. (Jamie Kelter Davis/Getty Images)
The expected arrival of CBP in Charlotte is part of a broader strategy by the federal government to expand border security measures to cities across the nation.
Recently, personnel from CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been deployed to other major urban centers, such as Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Those operations have sparked protests from anti-immigration activists. In Portland, Oregon, protests have flared since June. Anti-ICE graffiti has been scrawled outside of detention centers, and demonstrations have become violent at times between protesters and federal agents.
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Federal officials have described the deployments as part of an expanded effort to disrupt smuggling networks and track illegal aliens.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country. We do not discuss future or potential operations.”
Local pressures mount
The timing of the announcement comes as Charlotte faces intensifying scrutiny over violent crime.
Homicides and aggravated assaults have risen sharply this year, prompting Republican lawmakers to urge Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to deploy the National Guard. For now, the governor has resisted that call from Republican lawmakers, and local officials have argued that public safety remains a local responsibility.
“Recently, the city faced eight homicides in seven days. The murder rate in uptown Charlotte is now 200% higher than it was a year ago,” a letter from a trio of Republican lawmakers said. “According to the Fraternal Order of Police, aggravated assaults involving knives or guns have risen from 86 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, and personal strong-arm robberies have increased from 26 to 31 in the same period.”
A view of the memorial dedicated to slain 23-year-old Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska at the East/West Blvd light rail station in Charlotte on September 11, 2025. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)
According to the Charlotte Police Department’s quarterly statistics report, violent crimes, commercial burglaries and larcenies from automobiles have all gone up in Charlotte since last year. But other crimes like homicides, rapes, property crimes and arson have come down modestly from levels in 2024. In many categories, Charlotte’s current crime levels are meaningfully lower than rates in 2022 and 2023, with some exceptions.
On Aug. 22, the stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska garnered attention after her killing was captured on surveillance video while she was commuting home from her pizzeria job. The footage captured the 23-year-old cowering as her alleged killer leered over her with a folding knife seconds before the attack.
Police revealed that her accused killer was identified as Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat offender with a lengthy rap sheet.
‘Committed to transparency’
In his earlier statement Wednesday, McFadden sought to reassure residents that his office “remains committed to transparency” and that any coordination with federal agencies will be limited to information-sharing, not enforcement.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said the sheriff, Garry L. McFadden, was contacted by two unnamed federal officials this week who said U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel will be arriving in the Charlotte area either Saturday or early next week. (The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
“It allows us to stay informed and be proactive in keeping Mecklenburg County safe and to maintain the level of trust our community deserves,” McFadden said.
