An immigration crackdown in Charlotte, North Carolina, appears to have ended, local officials said, following days of immigration sweeps by border agents that sparked protests and shuttered businesses.

In a statement on Nov. 20, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office said federal officials confirmed the operation, dubbed "Charlotte's Web," had officially ended.

"As a result, there will be no (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) operations in Charlotte on Thursday," the agency said in a statement.

Charlotte's Democratic Mayor Vi Lyles said on X it "appears" border agents stopped operating in North Carolina's largest city, adding, "I’m relieved for our community and the residents, businesses, and all those who were targeted and impacted by this intrusion."

The Department of Homeland Security, however, said otherwise.

"The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon," said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, in an email to USA TODAY.

Charlotte was the latest Democratic-led city to experience a surge of immigration agents this year, as the Trump administration carries out a mass deportation campaign. Other cities that have seen large-scale immigration efforts include Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC.

Beginning on Saturday, Nov. 15, the operation in Charlotte triggered protests, led businesses to close and saw tens of thousands of public school students reported absent in Mecklenburg County. Federal agents also conducted arrests in Durham and Raleigh, the state capital.

DHS said it launched "Operation Charlotte's Web" to "target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to the Tar Heel State because they knew sanctuary politicians would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets."

However, no city in the state is considered a "sanctuary jurisdiction" by the Department of Justice.

Over the weekend, federal agents arrested over 130 undocumented immigrants in Charlotte, including several dozen with previous charges ranging from driving under the influence to aggravated assault, according to the DHS. USA TODAY is unable to independently verify those figures as the agency has not released the names of those arrested, or their exact charges.

Border patrol agents are expected to surge into New Orleans in the coming days as the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration expands.

McLaughlin said in a statement that DHS does not "disclose future or potential operations."

This story has been updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Operation Charlotte's Web' is over, sheriff says. DHS disagrees.

Reporting by Christopher Cann, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect