A North Carolina sheriff said U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers could arrive in Charlotte within days to begin a federal enforcement operation.
According to McFadden, neither the operation's specifics nor the request for assistance from his office have been made public.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declined to comment, saying,
“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country. We do not discuss future or potential operations.”
“The purpose of this call was to create a mutual aid network. It was an information resource sharing session,” said City Councilmember-Elect JD Mazuera Arias.
“Let’s get as many people as possible aware of the helpers and who the people are that are doing the work that individuals can plug into, either as volunteers to donate to or those who are in need of support can turn to,”
said CharlotteEAST executive director Greg Asciutto.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department also sought to clarify its role.
“The CMPD has no authority to enforce federal immigration laws,”
the agency said in a statement.
In the largest city in North Carolina, activists, religious
leaders, and local and state officials had already started preparing the immigrant population by disseminating information
about resources and trying to allay worries. On Wednesday, about 500
individuals participated in a teleconference hosted by the CharlotteEAST
organization.
“CMPD does not participate in ICE operations, nor are we involved in the planning of these federal activities,”
the agency said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Mazuera Arias and others said they had already begun receiving reports of what appeared to be plainclothes officers in neighborhoods and on local transit.
“This is some of the chaos that we also saw in Chicago,”
state Sen. Caleb Theodros, who represents Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, said Thursday.
The group Indivisible Charlotte and the Carolina Migrant Network will be conducting a training for volunteers on Friday.
“Training people how to recognize legitimate ICE agents, versus obviously those who don’t look legitimate,”
said Tony Siracusa, spokesman for Indvisible Charlotte.
“They’re not always wearing vests that say ‘ICE.’ And what your rights are.”
The groups will also discuss areas where they can conduct “pop up protests.”
“Obviously, we’re not doing anything that is going to encourage people to go get arrested by federal agents,”
he
said.
How can local clinics and schools prepare to protect undocumented
families?
Seminaries should produce specific immigration enforcement preparedness plans, including secure lot entry points, covering caller logs, and protocols if immigration agents appear on lot. Families should be encouraged to have their own family preparedness plans relating to indispensable caregivers and important documents.
Partner with emigrant- serving associations to host shops and distribute accoutrements (e.g., “ Know Your Rights ” cards) to staff, scholars, and families to inform them of their legal protections and how to respond in enforcement situations. Conventions and seminaries should establish surroundings where families feel secure penetrating services without fear of immigration enforcement or data sharing.
Given the stress immigration enforcement creates, give increased access to comforting and behavioral health support acclimatized to indigenous communities.