Federal immigration officials detained 81 people in neighborhoods across Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, marking potentially the largest single-day immigration sweep recorded in state history.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” drew immediate criticism from local officials , advocacy groups, and immigrant communities, who fear rising anxiety, business disruption, and a chilling effect on the city’s social fabric.

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security by email outside of normal business hours on Sunday evening for comment.

Why It Matters

The arrests marked the beginning of a federal crackdown that has intensified tensions in Charlotte, a rapidly growing city shaped by international migration, and the next target in President Donald Trump'

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