(The Center Square) – Enhanced enforcement of immigration laws in North Carolina’s largest city resulted in more than 400 arrests.
Led by Gregory Bovino, chief patrol agent of the El Centro Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Charlotte’s Web began in earnest on Nov. 15 and carried through most of the next week. Conflicting announcements about its continuation climaxed the following Thursday.
Homeland Security’s statement Wednesday saying 425 arrests were made also indicated the operation is continuing. In context, it is believed the volume of federal agents in the area has decreased, and a spotlight on removing people illegally in the country has not decreased for the federal authorities routinely present.
Democrats have the mayor’s office in Charlotte – Vi Lyles – and the majorities on the city’s council and county’s commission. Theirs were the leading voices among sympathizers to immigrants both lawfully and unlawfully present, with first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper – a former four-term state attorney general and two-term governor – joining them.
Public engagements through social media since mid-November have often below the “high road” of professionalism, headlined by Bovino receiving a “f— you” response from Chairwoman Anderson Clayton of the North Carolina Democratic Party.
Criminal records for some of those arrested included domestic violence, battery, aggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault on a police officer, breaking and entering, larceny, driving while intoxicated, and hit-and-run.
Homeland Security said among those arrested were Manual Vasquez-Gavarrete, a Honduran and 18th Street gang member; and Humberto Pozada-Rodriguez, another Honduran and MS-13 gang member. Barrio 18, as 18th Street is also known, and MS-13 are rivals.
The U.S. Department of Justice says Barrio 18 is known for “acts of murder, kidnapping, assault, robbery, witness intimidation, and firearms and narcotics trafficking to fuel the gang’s violent operations.” The Justice Department says “MS-13 operates through the use of intimidation and violence, including murder, and enriching members and associates through criminal activities, including breaking into houses and stealing firearms, jewelry, cash, and other items of value, and selling narcotics.”
The Justice Department believed MS-13 to have more than 10,000 members in 10 states and Washington, D.C. – roughly between 20% and 33% of its global membership. Barrio 18 is reportedly in 28 states with 30,000 to 50,000 members.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in November said 450,000 migrant children nationwide are being sought in order to reunite them with families.
In a statement, Homeland Security said, “There is absolutely no excuse to continue allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize our American communities. These are violent assailants, gang members, and repeat offenders who have zero regard for the rule of law in our country. They are here illegally and should never have been here in the first place.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our communities once and for all.”
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump has sent the National Guard to the cities of Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis, with authorizations for Chicago and Portland blocked by judges. Throughout his second term since Jan. 20, regional offices of Enforcement and Removal Operations, the FBI led by Kash Patel, and Homeland Security led by Secretary Kristi Noem have spotlighted removal by the thousands of people illegally in the United States.
In North Carolina, three members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 5 asked Stein to deploy the National Guard to Charlotte. The former two-term state attorney general refused.
Homeland Security has since opened Catahoula Crunch in New Orleans.
