Federal immigration enforcement in Charlotte is drawing sharp criticism from local leaders and educators, who say recent DHS actions are rattling immigrant communities and keeping children out of classrooms. The effort, known as Operation Charlotte’s Web, has reportedly resulted in more than 200 arrests tied to prior immigration violations. City officials warn the operation is fueling fear and disrupting daily life across the region.
North Carolina Association of Educators President Tamika Walker Kelly said school staff have seen a dramatic drop in attendance since the crackdown began. “Our members are reporting that some schools saw 40–50% of students missing. On Monday morning, some children witnessed arrests and bands of armed, militarized police while on their way to school,” she said. “When students are afraid, learning stops for everyone. These raids are not producing safety; they are producing trauma.”
According to city leaders, more than 20,000 students have missed classes during the operation. Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson called the absentee surge a crisis for families already working to recover from learning setbacks in recent years.
“I was sick when I saw the numbers,” Anderson said. “Our students had a hard time with COVID and remote learning. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have worked hard to get students back on track, and now, in one day, 21,000 students stayed home.”
He added that the impact goes beyond the school day. “Families are out of work because they have their kids at home. That means at the end of the week, families will have less money to pay their bills. They’ll have less money to spend on groceries to feed their families and their children. It is not a positive impact at all.”
DHS has pushed back on claims that enforcement is spilling into school spaces. The agency says officers are not targeting schools, and that no arrests have taken place on school grounds. Officials also argue the operation is focused on people with criminal histories rather than students or families headed to class.
“ICE is not conducting enforcement operations at, or ‘raiding,’ schools. ICE is not going to schools to make arrests of children,” DHS said. The department noted that arrests could occur near a school only in exceptional cases involving immediate public safety threats, adding that this has not happened during the current operation.
DHS said those arrested have criminal records that include allegations such as gang membership, aggravated assault, weapons possession, felony larceny, simple assault, hit-and-run offenses, possession of stolen goods, shoplifting, DUI, DWI, and illegal re-entry after prior deportation.
