Department of Homeland Security agents are"surging" to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, Nov. 15, to "ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," according to department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
"Americans should be able to live without fear of violent criminal illegal aliens hurting them, their families, or their neighbors," said McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, in a statement emailed to USA TODAY on Nov. 15.
"We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," McLaughlin said. "There have been too many victims of criminal illegal aliens, andPresident Trumpand Secretary Noem will step up to protect Americans when sanctuary politicians won't."
The arrival of federal agents comes asPresident Donald Trump's immigration crackdownexpands to more Democratic-run cities, including Charlotte, led by Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles.
In response to DHS's efforts, thecity of Charlotte's government shared a statementon Nov. 15: "The expected U.S. Customs and Border Protection's operations are causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty in our community as recent operations in other cities have resulted in people without criminal records being detained and violent protests being the result of unwarranted actions."
Additionally, the city's government said in its statement that anyone who needs "the police, don't hesitate to call 911. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department does not participate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations and is not involved in the planning or execution of any federal immigration enforcement activities."
The city also asked community members who want to make their voices heard, "do so peacefully," as local officials "do not want to see violence like many witnessed in other cities."
Activists protest outside of an immigrant processing and detention center on Oct. 2, 2025 in Broadview, Ill." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
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What is DHS doing in Charlotte?
Before the announced deployment,Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFaddensaid on Nov. 13 that federal officials had not disclosed any specific details about DHS's operation, including how many agents would be sent to the city or what their mission would entail. The sheriff added that his agency would not be "involved with any measures regarding enforcement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CBP."
Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina, is a Democratic stronghold in a state that Trump won during last year's presidential election. In Mecklenburg County, Democratic nomineeKamala Harrisreceived 66% of the vote while Trump won the state by four percentage points.
Lyles, in a Nov. 13 X post, said local officials didn't know what immigration authorities were planning to do in Charlotte, but she asked residents to remain calm.
"I understand this news will create uncertainty and anxiety for many people in our community,"Lyles said on X. "Everyone in our community deserves to feel secure and I am committed to doing all that I can to inform our community, help make sure everyone feels safe, and understands their rights."
According to theCharlotte Observer, "masked federal agents" made their presence known Saturday, Nov. 15, including at a church in east Charlotte.
"Right now, everybody is scared. Everybody," the church's pastor, who did not want to identify himself to the outlet, said. "One of these guys with immigration, he say he was going to arrest one of the other guys in the church. He pushed him."
Which other cities have federal agents been deployed to?
While McLaughlin did not elaborate further on DHS's operation, the "surge" into Charlotte comes after federal agents have been deployed toLos Angeles,Washington, DC,Memphis,ChicagoandPortland. The deployments of federal agents and National Guard troops have beenchallenged in courtand have drawncriticism over officers' use of forceand what's been seen as increasingly aggressive tactics by the Trump administration.
Late last month, Trump threatened to send "more than the National Guard" to "troubled" U.S. cities. At the time, he didn't identify which cities he intended to send troops to.
"We're sending in our National Guard and if we need more than the National Guard, we'll send more than the National Guard because we're going to have safe cities," Trump said Oct. 28 at a U.S.naval base in Yokosuka, Japan,during hisweeklong Asia trip."We're not going to have people killed in our cities. Whether people like that or not, that's what we're doing."
While Lyles and other city officials are in opposition to the DHS's operation, Congressman Tim Moore, a Republican who represents a district outside Charlotte, said he has "full confidence in our federal law enforcement partners and appreciates their ongoing work to uphold the rule of law and protect the people of North Carolina."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:DHS says immigration agents 'surging' to Charlotte this weekend
