Journalism of Courage
US immigration agents conducted raids in the banking hub of North Carolina’s Charlotte on Saturday, said the Department of Homeland Security despite the opposition from local leaders, prompting activists and elected officials to support local residents as President Donald Trump’s administration expands its crackdown on illegal immigration, Reuters reported.
As per local officials, Charlotte is home to about 900,000 residents where about 150,000 people are foreign born. The city is run by a Democratic mayor, however, the two US Senators of North Carolina are Republicans and Trump also won the state in the last three presidential elections.
The fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutskaha on a Charlotte light-rail train in August triggered the Trump administration to say that Democratic-led cities have failed to protect citizens. Though crime has seen a dip by about 20% in the city until August as compared with the same period in 2024.
There has been no signal that National Guards would be deployed in North Carolina’s Charlotte, however, at least three Republican leaders of North Carolina’s congressional delegation have urged Democratic Governor Josh Stein to request for the guards. The governor’s office declined the requests and said local police remain the best choice to keep neighbourhoods safe.
Earlier, the Trump administration had deployed National Guard troops to the District of Columbia, Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee area attributing it to a rising crime in Democratic run cities and to protect immigration agents. Courts have blocked the Trump administration from deploying National Guards in the Chicago area and Portland, Oregon so far.
(with inputs from agencies)
