Federal Sweep Nets 81 Arrests in Charlotte as Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparks Local Outrage (Photo: Paul Caffrey/Wikimedia Commons/Public domain)Federal immigration authorities arrested 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a five-hour enforcement sweep that officials are calling one of the most aggressive crackdowns carried out under President Donald Trump this year. The arrests form part of a broader national campaign defined by mass detentions and intensified workplace and neighborhood sweeps. Bovino said Charlotte marked his first day of active deployment in the city and emphasized the speed and scale of the arrests. The Department of Homeland Security defended the crackdown by citing long-standing frustrations over Charlotte's refusal to honor roughly 1,400 federal "detainer" requests-orders asking local jails to hold individuals beyond their release time so federal agents can assume custody. Faith-based groups raised particular alarm about enforcement activity near places of worship, arguing that the presence of federal agents in such areas risks inflaming tensions and breaking long-standing humanitarian norms.