In the first two days of the Trump administration‘s immigration crackdown in Charlotte, North Carolina, over 130 illegal immigrants have been arrested by Department of Homeland Security officers.
The crackdown, dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” is part of a larger, tough-on-crime deployment surge of federal officers and National Guard troops nationwide in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term.
National Guard deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon, have faced court challenges, prompting troops to be recalled from those cities this week. As the number of officers and troops fluctuates, here is the latest on which cities are being affected:
Charlotte
“Operation Charlotte’s Web” began on Saturday, as an influx of DHS officers hit the biggest city in the Tar Heel State in an immigration blitz.
“During the first two days of ‘Operation Charlotte’s Web,’ Border Patrol arrested over 130 illegal aliens who have all broken the immigration laws of our country,” a DHS spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
“Criminal records of those arrested include known gang membership, aggravated assault, possession of a dangerous weapon, felony larceny, simple assault, hit and run, possession of stolen goods, shoplifting, DUI, DWI, and illegal re-entry after prior deportation, a felony,” the spokesperson said.
Border Patrol agents arrested 81 people on the first day of the operation. National Guard troops have not been sent to Charlotte, despite three of the state’s Republican members of Congress calling for their deployment.
Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) has spoken out against the deployment.
“Local, well-trained law enforcement officers who live in and know their communities are best equipped to keep North Carolina neighborhoods safe, not military servicemembers,” a spokesman for Stein told a local Spectrum News outlet.
Chicago
National Guard troops and DHS officers were deployed to Chicago this fall, with federal immigration officers first arriving in September as part of “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) and Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have fought the influx of federal personnel since Trump’s first threats to send the National Guard to the Windy City. When National Guard troops first arrived in October, Pritzker and Johnson sued the administration. There were also widespread protests against the deployment, which ended in Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh being arrested after interfering with federal operations.
Following several court hurdles, 200 Texas National Guard troops are being withdrawn from Chicago, according to multiple reports.
Portland
State officials in Oregon also fought the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland in court.
On Nov. 7, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut permanently blocked the National Guard’s deployment to Oregon’s biggest city, where immigration protests have been prominent.
In light of the ruling, 200 California National Guard troops who were federalized in Portland will be leaving the city, according to multiple reports.
Los Angeles
U.S. Northern Command announced Friday that the number of National Guard troops in Los Angeles will change, but it did not specify details. The announcement follows legal challenges to Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to the city by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
“Our troops in each city (and others) are trained and ready, and will be employed whenever needed to support law enforcement and keep our citizens safe,” U.S. Northern Command wrote on X.
As of October, about 100 National Guard troops are still in Los Angeles following their original deployment this summer to quell immigration protests, according to an NPR report.
Memphis, Tennessee
Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) worked with Trump to authorize the deployment of Tennessee National Guard troops to Memphis in September.
According to local news outlet ABC24, there were approximately 250 National Guard troops in Memphis before a recent announcement authorized about 500 more troops to be deployed to the city.
Washington
The War Department extended the National Guard’s presence in Washington through February 2026 in late October, as District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb continues to challenge the deployment.
WHAT TO EXPECT AS BORDER PATROL ARRIVES IN CHARLOTTE: ‘THEY’RE HERE’
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) committed to sending 100 National Guard troops from Arkansas to join the approximately 2,400 troops already stationed in the district.
The commanding general of the D.C. National Guard told troops in October to “prepare for a long-term persistent presence” in Washington that could last until the “America 250” celebration in July 2026.
