By Riley Blankenship

As we enter 10 months into the Trump administration, it has become a new normalcy now to see the headlines that Homeland Security is deploying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to cities. Since September we watched as Homeland Security’s Operation “Midway Blitz” stormed into Chicago in an attempt to capture undocumented people, most having done no wrongdoing and have lived in the U.S. for years paying taxes and being a normal citizen. Not according to Homeland Security, however, which is determined to heckle and detain any person they deem as “illegal.”

This has come to an end in Chicago and now Homeland Security is onto the next target city of Charlotte. Reports of increased enforcement activity in and around the city have raised questions about what this means for North Carolina residents and how federal immigration actions may continue to evolve in the region.

As of May 2025, Charlotte, N.C., is ranked as the 14th largest city according to a report by U.S. Census Bureau, having now a total of roughly 943,476 residents. Charlotte has become a central point for transportation and migration across the region. These factors often draw the attention of federal agencies, including Department of Homeland Security and ICE, who tend to focus on large urban centers where mobility, population density and economic activity are high. Charlotte’s position as a major connector between the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia as well make it a key location for federal operations. Because of this, immigration enforcement efforts that began in other major cities such as Chicago frequently shift toward growing metro areas like Charlotte, especially when federal agencies aim to expand their reach across different regions of the country.

The Collegian had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Michelle Plaisance, the Director of Graduate Studies in TESOL, who has strong ties to Charlotte and experience of living in the community. Plaisance emphasized the necessity for North Carolina residents to understand that “officials from the city of Charlotte did not request federal assistance with any matters related to immigration or border control.” She added, “civic leaders have been vocal in expressing their opposition to the presence of these agents in Charlotte and are not actively coordinating with them in any way.”

According to Plaisance, the situation has been made more confusing by “a great deal of misinformation circulating and very few facts being shared,” making it difficult for the public to know what is happening. She added that, despite the lack of well-known information, “witness testimony and published video footage shows agents hunting for ‘suspects’ in places frequented by our immigrant community and detained by armed force without a warrant.”

Plaisance also mentioned several common misconceptions she believes many community members have about ICE operations.

“The current administration has reported that only undocumented residents with criminal records ‘the worst of the worst’ are being targeted in these uninvited ICE/CBP operations,” she stated.

However, “There are numerous instances of non-criminal detainments, and even detainments of citizens and legal residents.”

Plaisance described a second misconception as “a scary one,” stating that “most Americans believe that law enforcement officers are bound by the law and that their constitutional rights protect them.” She cautioned, however, that “no one is playing by the rules anymore and there appears to be no accountability.”

When speaking on how Charlotte’s situation fits into a larger national pattern, Plaisance emphasized that she could not “answer this question objectively,” but encouraged North Carolina residents to look closely at the cities being targeted. She pointed out that, “Portland, Chicago, Charlotte, Raleigh, New Orleans … these are cities that celebrate their diversity and vote accordingly,” stating that, in her view, “You won’t see CBP marching into Jackson, Miss. or Gainesville, Ga.”

As reports and footage continue to circulate, her perspective emphasizes just how federal enforcement actions may reflect broader trends across the country, which is leaving many residents seeking clarity and factchecking information about what these operations mean for communities in North Carolina.