Are ICE raids targeting schools, churches, or workplaces in Charlotte?

(FCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) Federal immigration enforcement teams have begun operating across Charlotte, North Carolina, sparking growing concern about possible ICE raids at schools, churches, and workplaces, even as officials say there is no confirmed evidence that such sensitive locations are being targeted.

Since November 15, 2025, Border Patrol agents have been in the city as part of a new enforcement push known as Operation Charlotte’s Web, with videos shared by residents showing marked vehicles and agents carrying out stops on public streets and in neighborhood areas.

Presence and scope of the operation

Local officials and advocacy groups confirm that federal agents from both Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are present in the region, though the exact size, schedule, and targets of the operations remain unclear.

The campaign’s code name, Operation Charlotte’s Web, has quickly spread through immigrant communities in Charlotte, where fear of ICE raids is already high after years of shifting federal policies. Parents are keeping children home, some workers are avoiding daily commutes, and community hotlines have been flooded with calls asking whether it is safe to leave home.

Despite images of federal vehicles circling neighborhoods, there is still no verified proof that agents have entered schools, churches, or workplaces to conduct arrests.

Schools and “sensitive locations”

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials say they have not received any notice of immigration enforcement on or near school campuses. They have reiterated long-standing rules:

• School staff do not collect or share students’ immigration status.
• Law enforcement officers, including immigration agents, are not allowed on school property without a proper court-ordered warrant.
• No principals have reported agents at school doors or in parking lots.

The possibility that children might face immigration arrests at or near school has become one of the most emotional issues in this wave of enforcement. After a recent federal policy change removed earlier limits on operations in so-called sensitive locations, families worry protections once taken for granted may no longer hold.

Advocacy groups urge parents to:

1. Keep sending children to class when possible.
2. Prepare safety plans, including knowing who can pick up a child if a parent is detained.
3. Stay informed through trusted community resources rather than social media rumors.

Local officials’ response

City leaders acknowledge limited information about Operation Charlotte’s Web. Mayor Vi Lyles and Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden say they are aware of federal activity but have not been briefed on precise tactics or locations.

They have urged residents not to spread unverified claims on social media about arrests at specific schools or churches, warning that false stories can:

• Deepen family fear
• Prevent people from going to work
• Discourage seeking medical care
• Stop children from attending school

Role of local police

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department emphasizes a separation between local duties and federal immigration actions:

• CMPD says it does not take part in planning or carrying out immigration arrests.
• The department does not run checkpoints for immigration purposes.
• Officers may respond to crimes or traffic incidents, but CMPD stresses it is not working with federal teams on Operation Charlotte’s Web.

This message aims to reassure residents who fear a routine traffic stop could lead to handover to ICE or Border Patrol.

Community monitoring and legal support

Advocates are organizing quickly to monitor federal activity, document any ICE raids, and offer legal help to those detained. Their actions include:

• Training volunteers to observe from a distance
• Recording badge numbers and vehicle details
• Sharing information with legal teams
• Avoiding direct interference with enforcement actions

They say this work became more urgent after federal rules that once discouraged enforcement in churches, schools, and other sensitive places were rolled back. So far, monitors report they have not witnessed agents entering such locations in Charlotte as part of the current operation.

Federal guidance and policy context

Nationally, the Department of Homeland Security has long issued guidance on sensitive locations, including schools, hospitals, and places of worship. That guidance has changed under different administrations and is not currently viewed as a firm ban on enforcement.

Official information on enforcement policies is available from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which publishes policy documents on its website at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, uncertainty about how these policies are applied on the ground leaves many families unsure about where they are truly safe.

What residents are seeing and what to expect

For now, the picture in Charlotte is one of active federal enforcement but limited confirmed details. Residents report seeing agents near:

• Apartment complexes
• Convenience stores
• Bus stops

But not inside buildings long viewed as off-limits.

Lawyers expect any arrests tied to the operation will likely first appear in immigration court records and through word-of-mouth reports before a clearer pattern emerges. Until then, officials and advocates repeat the same advice:

• Stay calm
• Verify information before sharing it
• Know your rights if approached by an officer

Important rights advocates emphasize:
– You generally have the right to remain silent.
– You may ask to speak with a lawyer.
– You may refuse entry to your home if agents do not have a warrant signed by a judge naming someone who lives at that address.

Community groups are distributing wallet-sized cards in multiple languages that list these basic points. They also caution residents not to lie to officers or carry false documents, as those actions can create serious legal problems later.

Near-term outlook

In the days ahead, families in Charlotte will watch to see whether reports of ICE raids remain limited to street encounters or move toward the sensitive places they fear most.

For now:

• Officials urge patience.
• Advocates prepare legal and monitoring responses.
• Children still file into classrooms under the shadow of Operation Charlotte’s Web, uncertain about what tomorrow might bring locally.