As the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement nationwide, North Carolina is seeing its efforts potentially spread to the state’s capital, Raleigh.
“We have received information suggesting that Customs and Border Protection is heading to Raleigh,” Mayor Janet Cowell stated in a statement released to Fox News Digital.
“While the Raleigh Police Department does not handle immigration enforcement, we are dedicated to protecting our residents and upholding the law. I want to confirm that the RPD has not participated in any immigration-related planning. Importantly, Raleigh is a safe city, with a decline in crime compared to last year. Public safety remains a top priority for both myself and the City Council,” she stated.
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“I urge the people of Raleigh to uphold our values and remain peaceful and respectful throughout any challenges that may arise,” she later said.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein mentioned on social media that his “office is aware of reports indicating that the Border Patrol is extending its operations to Raleigh.”
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“Once again, I implore federal agents to focus on targeting violent offenders, instead of law-abiding citizens walking, attending religious services, or decorating for Christmas. Stop singling out individuals simply because of their ethnicity, which is occurring in Charlotte,” he declared, appealing to residents to remain “peaceful.”
When contacted by Fox News Digital, U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided a statement from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“DHS consistently enforces the nation’s laws across the country. We do not comment on planned or possible future operations,” McLaughlin said.
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DHS has been promoting its immigration enforcement initiative in North Carolina’s most populous city, known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web.” In a press release issued on Monday, the department highlighted that the “heightened immigration enforcement operation in the Charlotte region led to the arrest of over 130 undocumented immigrants in just a 48-hour period.”
