The Trump administration has reportedly ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to largely scale back their use of routine traffic stops nationwide, a shift that comes after two fatal ICE shootings and a recent increase in vehicle stops in Charlotte.
Over the past week, ICE agents have made at least three traffic stop arrests in Charlotte that attracted attention.
Last Thursday, agents detained two people from a work truck at an Exxon gas station near Sharon Amity Road and Central Avenue in east Charlotte. On Monday, agents arrested another man outside the WOW Supermarket on South Boulevard after shattering his driver's side window. A separate traffic stop the same day led to another arrest off South Tryon Street.
Carolina Migrant Network operates a hotline where people can seek legal help after a detention. The group has received more than 30 calls to the hotline over the past two weeks.
The increase in local enforcement comes as ICE has ramped up operations nationwide within the past month. It also follows the fatal shootings of two men by ICE officers during separate vehicle stops in Texas and Maine within the past week, incidents that drew national controversy and spurred protests.
According to federal officials, ICE will now limit vehicle stops to people considered its highest-priority targets with serious or violent criminal histories.
ICE did not respond to WFAE's request for comment.
