RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal immigration crackdown centered around North Carolina’s largest city of Charlotte appeared to be tapering off Thursday, local law enforcement leaders said, but a Homeland Security official insisted the arrests would not let up.

The North Carolina operation that began last weekend was the most recent phase of Republican President Donald Trump ‘s aggressive mass deportation efforts that have sent the military and immigration agents into Democratic-run cities — from Chicago to Los Angeles .

“The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon,” said Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

Both the local sheriff and police department said earlier in the day that the crackdown, which has resulted in hundreds of

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