From Metro D.C. to Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents initiated numerous new enforcement actions. To their credit, they arrested 81 people under this initiative. Operation Coyote was led by top border patrol commander Gregory Bovino. It was a five-hour operation that largely targeted people with serious, violent, and/or gang-related criminal and immigration histories. This nationwide crackdown is similar to one that Bovino orchestrated in Chicago. That operation was heavily criticized and inspired a number of lawsuits regarding the unconstitutional use of force.
Social media platform X was used by Bovino to record the arrests in real-time. He posted photos of those detainees, many of whom the Trump administration would refer to as “criminal illegal aliens.” He claimed that these enforcement actions are critical to protecting the increasing storm of threats against CBP agents. “We arrested him, taking him off the streets of Charlotte so he can’t continue to ignore our laws and drive intoxicated on the same roads you and your loved ones are on,” Bovino stated, emphasizing the perceived necessity of these operations.
The swift order of the arrests has sounded off warning bells with community leaders and advocates. Greg Asciutto reported receiving numerous accounts of CBP activities in sensitive areas such as churches, apartment complexes, and even a local hardware store. Over the last two hours we have heard from dozens of people about CBP activity at churches, an apartment complex, and a hardware store. Importantly, he stressed the community-wide consequences this limitation on operational scope has caused.
Critics have criticized these harsh enforcement tactics. JD Mazuera Arias expressed particularly deep concern over the impact these changes will have on vulnerable populations. He continued, “These spaces act as refuges for Americans in search of hope and faith during their darkest moments. Today, these sacred spaces no longer feel safe after their right to worship has been so egregiously disregarded. That sentiment is part of a larger apprehension within the community about the unintended consequences of these harsher anti-immigrant policies.
Nikki Marín Baena condemned the operation as a “shameful day for the North Carolina Republican Party,” criticizing the support for law enforcement actions that she described as “terrorist operations.” She pointed out lack of equity, because too often marginalized communities are most unfairly targeted. She knows this is taking place under the cover of law enforcement.
To defend against the backlash against these arrests, the local leaders involved have pointed to their diversity and the strength of their community ties. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Board of County Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Chair Stephanie Sneed issued a joint statement. Beyond addressing the outrage, they urged, “Our organizations cannot stress enough—our diversity is our strength. This response highlights a commitment to inclusion amidst rising tensions around immigration enforcement.
Unfortunately, the operation in Charlotte is not an isolated incident. It follows Bovino’s leadership in Chicago, where similar tactics triggered a wave of legal actions questioning the appropriateness of the force used by CBP agents. This long history looms large over any action today and contributes to a general distrust of accountability in the realm of immigration enforcement.
Now the community is dealing with the fallout of these mass arrests. In the meantime, Bovino’s spokesman has not responded to repeated requests for comments regarding Sunday’s operation. As you can imagine, many residents feel disoriented and scared at the prospect of these kinds of law enforcement activities. Their unfamiliarity is a product of the poor dialogue.