(NewsNation) — Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino maintains residents of Charlotte, North Carolina, are happy about his team’s immigration enforcement, despite ongoing protests.
More than 200 people have been arrested since the so-called “Operation Charlotte’s Web” began last week, sources confirmed to NewsNation. Agents have made arrests at work sites, grocery store parking lots and Home Depot locations.
The Department of Homeland Security said among those arrested, 44 had criminal records and two were known gang members. Data obtained by NewsNation showed 161,000 migrants who have previously been ordered to leave the United States are living in and around North Carolina’s largest city.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 15: Protesters march through uptown after gathering at First Ward Park for the “No Border Patrol In Charlotte” rally on November 15, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Federal officials confirmed today that the Trump administration has begun deploying ICE and Border Patrol agents to the city. (Photo by Grant Baldwin/Getty Images) 
This image taken from video provided by Rheba Hamilton shows U.S. Border Patrol agents leaving a yard after approaching two men hanging lights in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday, Nov 15, 2025. (Rheba Hamilton via AP) 
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 16: A Department of Homeland Security Investigations Officer searches for two individuals who fled the scene after being stopped while selling flowers on the side of the road on November 16, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This comes on the second day of “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” an ongoing immigration enforcement surge across the Charlotte region. (Photo by Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
Protesters have been following agents’ cars and trying to disrupt operations since Saturday, and some community activists say American citizens have been questioned and detained.
Greg Asciutto, executive director of nonprofit CharlotteEAST, told NewsNation the enforcement is targeting more than just the “worst of the worst.”
“Everybody wants criminals, specifically that are committing those heinous acts, to be off the streets and out of our community and not perpetrating crimes,” Asciutto said. “But again, the reality of what we’ve actually seen with who has been targeted is much different.”
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said “masked, heavily armed agents driving unmarked cars targeting American citizens” is stoking fear and dividing the community.
Stein, a Democrat, has urged residents to remain peaceful and to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. As a “Certified Welcoming City,” Charlotte’s police force does not assist with federal immigration enforcement.
Border Patrol’s next stops are New Orleans, Raleigh
Federal immigration authorities have two more cities in the Southeast on their radar for their next stops: nearby Raleigh and New Orleans.
NewsNation sources confirmed operations were underway as of Tuesday in Raleigh.
Agents could also be in New Orleans as early as this week, sources told NewsNation.
“Wherever we go, rest assured beyond a shadow of doubt, as sure as the sun rises, we’re going to take as many bad people and bad things off the street as we can,” Bovino told NewsNation. “We’re going to make America a safer place, one arrest at a time.”
Louisiana’s Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requested the National Guard be deployed in New Orleans more than a month ago. While he could activate the guard himself, he needs the Trump administration’s approval to secure federal funding for the operation.
NewsNation’s Ali Bradley and Jeff Arnold contributed to this report.