- Federal agents arrested thirteen people during a multi-agency operation at Wilson Creek recreation area.
- Authorities clarified that no children were separated from their families during the checkpoint enforcement.
- The operation targeted individuals with prior criminal histories including DUI and illegal reentry offenses.
ICE agents arrested 13 people Sunday at the Wilson Creek recreation area in Pisgah National Forest, turning a checkpoint on federal land into a flashpoint for local families and immigration advocates.
The operation took place along Brown Mountain Beach Road in Caldwell County, North Carolina, beginning around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2026. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement worked with the U.S. Forest Service and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.
ICE Public Information Officer Lindsay Williams said many of those arrested had criminal histories that included DUI and illegal reentry, which she described as a felony. The agency said the people arrested would remain in its custody during removal proceedings or until their removal.
“ICE worked with USFS to arrest 13 illegal aliens, many of whom had criminal histories including DUI and illegal reentry – a felony,” Williams said. “All of the illegal aliens have or will receive full due process. They will remain in ICE custody pending their removal or removal proceedings.”
Witnesses initially told local media that as many as 10 people had been detained at the checkpoint. Caldwell County Sheriff Kevin Bean later confirmed the federal arrest total and said his deputies did not take custody of anyone.
“Federal agents were responsible for the enforcement action, made 13 arrests, and transported those individuals from the scene,” Bean said. “The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office did not take custody of any of the individuals arrested.”
The sheriff rejected reports of children being taken
Bean said deputies assisted federal partners at the checkpoint but disputed reports that children had been separated from their families. His department issued the clarification on July 28, 2026, two days after the arrests.
“Our deputies were present to assist our federal partners as requested while continuing our commitment to ensuring the safety of everyone visiting Wilson Creek. Reports claiming that children were separated from their families during the operation are false. No children were taken from their families during this enforcement action.”
The sheriff repeated that point in a separate statement: “No children were taken from their families during this enforcement action.”
The operation occurred at a weekend destination used by Latino families from communities as far away as Charlotte. Witnesses described patrol cars blocking access to the river while agents checked visitors’ immigration status.
One local resident, Bruce Gray, warned people on social media during the operation that “anyone without identification should stay away from the river.”
Families described a retreat transformed by the checkpoint
Sandra Salazar, co-founder of Hands of Hope y Adventurous Latinos, traveled to the scene from Morganton to assist families. She said the location had carried a sense of escape for many visitors.
“I was even crying. Wilson Creek is a special place not just for me but for a lot of people. It’s a place you go to disconnected from the reality of what we’re living.”
Salazar said the partner of her cousin was among those detained. She also said many families with pending asylum cases, including her relative, were caught in the enforcement action.
The arrests unsettled people who had gathered for a weekend at the river. Witnesses described the scene as “terrifying,” with federal vehicles positioned near the entrance and agents stopping visitors.
Federal and local agencies divided the roles
The Department of Homeland Security officially confirmed that 13 people were detained for immigration-related violations. ICE handled the arrests and transport, while the Forest Service supported the operation on federal land.
The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies assisted with the checkpoint. The department emphasized that federal agents, rather than county officers, made the arrests and retained custody of those detained.
| Agency or office | Role described in the operation |
|---|---|
| U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | Made the arrests and transported the detained people |
| U.S. Forest Service | Supported the operation on federal land |
| Department of Homeland Security | Confirmed 13 immigration-related detentions |
| Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office | Assisted federal partners at the checkpoint |
The statements from ICE and the sheriff’s office differed in emphasis but matched on the arrest count. Both agencies said federal authorities controlled the custody process.
The arrests followed other forest operations
The Wilson Creek action came after Operation Southern Forest Trident, a multi-agency sweep in May 2026 across national forest lands in North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina. That operation resulted in 32 arrests.
Federal authorities have also described Operation Charlotte’s Web, launched in late 2025, as an effort targeting “criminal illegal aliens” in the Charlotte and Raleigh metropolitan areas.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, has served as a primary spokesperson for Operation Take Back America, the broader initiative targeting “criminal illegal aliens” across the state. Boyle was not directly quoted about the Wilson Creek arrests.
“We have zero tolerance for conduct that puts our officers or the public at risk, and this office will take every lawful step to protect our families, officers, and communities,” Boyle said in July 2026.
The operation also came during a shift in federal vehicle-enforcement tactics. National reports in mid-July said ICE had briefly paused vehicle-related enforcement stops after fatal shootings by agents in Maine and Texas. President Trump then ordered those tactics resumed as part of the deportation campaign.
A larger detention system is being prepared
On July 26, reports emerged that ICE planned to reopen Rivers Correctional Institution in Winton, North Carolina, as a 1,400-bed detention facility for people taken in ongoing sweeps.
The proposed expansion would add detention capacity as federal agents continue operations involving local departments and federal land. The Rivers facility is separate from the Caldwell County checkpoint and was not identified as a holding location for the 13 people arrested at Wilson Creek.
Legal groups have also warned counties about detention practices. The ACLU of North Carolina and the NC Justice Center issued warnings on July 24, 2026, concerning potential “unlawful over-detention” of immigrants under HB 10, a state law requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE.
The groups’ warnings came before the Wilson Creek arrests. Bean’s statements afterward made clear that Caldwell County deputies assisted at the scene but did not assume custody of those detained.
The people arrested remain in ICE custody pending removal or removal proceedings, according to Williams. The federal agency described the case as an enforcement action involving immigration violations, while the sheriff’s office said no children were taken from their families.
