© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'Concern' In Charlotte Amid Reported Plans For ICE Raids In Major Cities

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigrant communities across the U.S. were on edge Sunday as federal immigration raids were reportedly planned in several major cities. As of late Sunday morning, immigrant advocacy group Comunidad Colectiva had not reported any raids in Charlotte. 

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are expected to continue for several days in at least 10 cities, including Atlanta and Miami in the Southeast. Charlotte isn't reported to be a target, but the ICE office in Atlanta also oversees operations in the Carolinas.  

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said via Twitter Saturday that ICE had already taken some action in his city. It wasn't clear midday Sunday if any raids had been carried out. 

"It starts on Sunday, and they're going to take people out, and they're going to bring them back to their countries, or they're going to take criminals out — put them in prison or put them in prison in the countries they came from," President Trump said Friday outside of the White House.

NPR reported ICE could target as many as 2,000 recently arrived migrant families.

Comunidad Colectiva spokeswoman Stefania Arteaga says the group has been contacted by worried families.

"There's a lot of concern with parents knowing that these raids are targeting whole family units," Arteaga told WFAE. "I think there's concern with parents who are fearful of sending their kids to summer camp, who are fearful of going grocery shopping or leaving the house."

The group planned to hold a training session Sunday afternoon for people who want to learn how to help immigrants at risk of being separated from their families. They're also teaching people the difference between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents, how to read warrants and providing information on what rights people have. Arteaga says Comunidad Colectiva plans to stay vigilant over the coming days.

"We're just going to be monitoring the situation, making sure there is no activity and continuing this education campaign where people are able to know what their rights are and how to interpret search warrants, for example," Arteaga said. "We're going to continue to do so throughout the week and see if anything happens."

Dash joined WFAE as a digital editor for news and engagement in 2019. Before that, he was a reporter for the Savannah Morning News in Georgia, where he covered public safety and the military, among other topics. He also covered county government in Gaston County, North Carolina, for its local newspaper, the Gazette.
Mark Rumsey grew up in Kansas and got his first radio job at age 17 in the town of Abilene, where he announced easy-listening music played from vinyl record albums.