Charlotte is on edge this week after US Border Patrol launched an unprecedented and uncoordinated immigration sweep across our city — an operation recorded injuring citizens, trespassing on private property, and detaining people without probable cause.
This new campaign, dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web” by Border Patrol leadership, marks the first time in history the federal agency has carried out a wide-scale immigration raid in a city without coordinating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or local law enforcement. The move blindsided city officials and triggered intense backlash from civil rights groups, business owners, and state leaders.
Over the weekend, multiple videos captured Border Patrol agents detaining legal US citizens and harassing workers and business patrons.
These actions raised immediate constitutional concerns, with attorneys citing potential violations of due process, unlawful search and seizure, trespassing laws, and state statutes governing enforcement authority.
One Charlotte resident—Willy Wender Aceituno Medina, a U.S. citizen since 2019, recorded agents smashing his car window and throwing him to the pavement before detaining him, all while ignoring his pleas to check his REAL ID. He was released shortly after.
The agents provided no justification for their questioning beyond the man’s appearance and language.
Another video shows border agents questioning Spanish-speaking workers hanging Christmas lights in a private yard without providing any justifiable cause or warrant papers.
This weekend’s chaos has forced several Charlotte businesses and churches to close.
A beloved Colombian bakery—open nearly every day for 28 years—shuttered after agents chased and tackled people outside the storefront. Owner Manuel “Manolo” Betancur said he closed to protect his customers from similar encounters.
Several restaurants, churches, and events closed this weekend as well, citing the safety of staff and patrons.
Border Patrol Chief Gregory K. Bovino defended the actions online, claiming agents arrested people with “significant criminal and immigration history.”
Yet, as of Thursday, only eight detainees have been publicly listed, even as videos show agents detaining and releasing numerous individuals—including legal residents and U.S. citizens. Bovino’s pinned post quotes a whimsical line from the famous children’s book Charlotte’s Web, where the baby spiders tell Wilbur the pig they go “wherever the wind takes us… we go as we please.”
The unauthorized use of the book quote as well as the unauthorized use of the Petey Pablo’s unofficial NC anthem “Raise Up” struck many as an odd and unsettling message during a controversial enforcement sweep by border patrol in a city far from any border.
‘Wherever the wind takes us. High, low. Near, far. East, west. North, south. We take to the breeze, we go as we please.’ — Charlotte’s Web
This time, the breeze hit Charlotte like a storm. From border towns to the Queen City, our agents go where the mission calls.#DHS #CBP… pic.twitter.com/de0nqHn3vR
— Commander Op At Large CA Gregory K. Bovino (@CMDROpAtLargeCA) November 16, 2025
Charlotte officials say they were not informed of the operation until days before the arrests began, despite repeated requests for clarity. The city’s crime rate—down 8% overall and 20% for violent crime – offered no obvious justification for the unprecedented raid on our city.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein condemned the tactics, warning residents that Border Patrol has detained numerous people with no criminal history in prior operations in Chicago.
He urged the public to record questionable interactions, saying, “Local law enforcement will be here protecting the people of this state long after these federal agents go on to the next place.”
The number one priority of the state is to keep people safe. Local law enforcement will continue to do that long after federal agents go on to the next place. pic.twitter.com/Yb07z8zedW
— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) November 14, 2025
The operation raises pressing questions about states’ rights, federal overreach, and the proper scope of Border Patrol authority away from national borders. Constitutional experts say the videos reveal potential violations that will likely trigger lawsuits and civil rights investigations.
Charlotte leaders are still seeking answers on the operation’s scope, the number of people detained, and the criteria used during the sweep.
For now, the city remains on edge as residents brace for additional encounters—waiting for clarity on a federal operation that arrived without notice, without coordination, and without precedent.
