U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Tuesday that it arrested 24 undocumented immigrants in Charlotte from March 1-8 in a “targeted enforcement operation.”
ICE says it worked with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to conduct the arrests.
Among those arrested, ICE says 13 were charged previously with aggravated felonies and three with illegal weapons offenses. There were also five property crime and 11 DWI charges.
The agency also said six arrested people had active detainers, which the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office has not honored. Eighteen people who also had detainers are still at large.
In a statement to WFAE Tuesday, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said he contacted ICE to explain why it is important to tell him these operations are taking place, why they are arresting these people and to tell them what it costs his office to hold immigrants.
“If ICE perceives these undocumented immigrants as violent or dangerous, they should place on them criminal charges, rather than detainers,” McFadden said.
McFadden also said he didn’t know why the news "stands out," since law enforcement makes such arrests regularly.
