Border Patrol launches "Charlotte's Web" raids as 400 National Guard troops leave Chicago and Portland

Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino announced Nov. 16, 2025, his team arrested 81 people in Charlotte in about five hours during Operation Charlotte's Web, which began Nov. 15. Many businesses on Central Avenue closed as federal agents made arrests and detained people. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and local officials expressed support for migrants, saying "our strength lies in our diversity."

Defense Department confirmed Nov. 16 that 200 California National GuardNational GuardState-controlled military forces that can be federalized by the president in emergencies.Key ConceptNational GuardState-controlled military forces that can be federalized by the president in emergencies.Open conceptBookmark members in Oregon and 200 Texas Guard members in Illinois will return to their home states as weekslong court battles stalled their deployments. The troop withdrawals were first reported by ABC News. About 200 Oregon Guard troops activated in Portland and 300 Illinois Guard troops activated in Chicago will remain.

Bovino posted on social media with a photo of a crying woman he detained in Charlotte, writing "Illegal aliens with criminal histories and warrants don't hang out in front of big box hardware stores? Well, then how did we find this illegal alien from Honduras there?" He said "many" but not all of the 81 arrested had significant criminal and immigration history.

U.S. Northern Command said it's "rightsizing" troop presence in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland to "ensure a constant, enduring, and long-term presence in each city." Northern Command wrote, "Our troops are trained and ready, and will be employed whenever needed to support law enforcement and keep our citizens safe." California will maintain a ready force of 100 Guard members and Texas will maintain 200 members who volunteered for the mission.

Charlotte is the latest in a string of cities including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago where federal agencies staged raids as part of immigration enforcementImmigration EnforcementGovernment actions to enforce immigration laws, including deportation, detention, border enforcement, and workplace raids.Key ConceptImmigration EnforcementGovernment actions to enforce immigration laws, including deportation, detention, border enforcement, and workplace raids.Open conceptBookmark. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement opposing "indiscriminate mass deportation," saying "Human dignity and national security are not in conflict." White House Border Czar Tom Homan called the bishops "wrong," noting he's a lifelong Catholic.

The Charlotte Observer reported a man said federal agents smashed his vehicle window, and another said agents aimed a rifle and threatened to shoot him after he followed them. CBS News first reported last week that Bovino and most Border Patrol agents would leave Chicago and could be redirected to Charlotte. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it is "surging" agents to Charlotte.