Charlotte, North Carolina — After months of large-scale federal immigration raids in Chicago, Border Patrol teams are reportedly preparing to leave the city and redeploy to Charlotte, with New Orleans expected to follow, according to new reporting from CBS News. More than 200 agents were sent to the Chicago region earlier this year under a federal initiative overseen by sector chief Gregory Bovino, who is now expected to lead operations in Charlotte.
Neither Customs and Border Protection (CBP) nor the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed the move, and local authorities say they were not notified. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings told local CBS affiliate WBTV that “they haven’t reached out,” adding that CMPD is not involved in immigration enforcement. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office also said it had received no communication from federal officials.
The motivation for a Charlotte deployment remains unclear. While CBP has frequently been dispatched to cities President Trump labels “lawless,” Charlotte’s crime rate is trending downward. CMPD’s third-quarter report shows crime down 8% overall and violent crime down 20% from January through September.
Legal questions are also mounting. CBP asserts broad authority within a 100-mile border zone, but courts have repeatedly ruled that warrantless searches far inland face stricter Fourth Amendment constraints. Civil-rights groups warn that previous operations under Bovino in Chicago used aggressive tactics, including tear gas, pepper spray, and improper use of force — actions that led to a federal injunction last week.
Whether the Charlotte operation will begin this month remains uncertain. But federal officials are reportedly weighing similar actions in additional cities, raising concerns that such deployments could spread nationwide.
Sources:
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (official report)
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