CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday that Border Patrol has arrested 425 people since their deployment began in Charlotte, while reiterating that Operation Charlotte’s Web continues despite local officials saying otherwise.
The conflicting messages have created confusion and fear within the immigrant community, prompting increased demand for legal services.
The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, which offers free legal aid, has seen a significant uptick in the need for immigration services since Border Patrol began its deployment in the area.
“There’s many people like myself who are of Latino descent, who — it’s been a terrifying time,” said Larissa Mañón Mervin, CEO of the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.
The center has expanded its services to include sending pro bono attorneys to people’s homes and hosting clinics to help people plan for emergencies, like detainment or deportation. These expanded services have been made possible through community donations, as the nonprofit is also facing funding uncertainty and grant cuts.
“This has been a challenging year, funding-wise, for all civil legal services and nonprofits, but we’re just being strategic as best we can,” Mervin said. “We were here before. We faced challenges before, in previous years, and we’ll be here after, and we’ll continue serving the community.”
State Rep. Jordan Lopez, a Democrat representing east Charlotte, said lawmakers haven’t received further clarification on the status of Operation Charlotte’s Web. However, he noted that Immigration and Customs Enforcement remains in the area as it was before the operation.
Both Rep. Lopez and Mervin agree that it’s best for the community to stay aware.
“We’ve seen in Chicago where they pulled out, and then they were right back with aggressive tactics, so I think it’s just wise for people to stay vigilant,” Rep. Lopez said. “Make sure you’re documenting things in case folks’ rights are being violated, as that is going to be extremely important as we move forward.”
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