Protestors Gather Across NC Against Immigration Sweeps
Tuesday evening, hundreds of people gathered in Moore Square and marched through downtown Raleigh to protest the immigration enforcement action taking place in the Triangle.
Tuesday, Customs and Border Patrol agents were deployed into the Triangle, conducting sweeps across several cities, including Raleigh, Durham and Cary. This comes after ICE and Border Protection agents performed sweeps in Charlotte over the weekend into Monday.
Protests in Raleigh remained peaceful as they marched to the state Capitol and back, demanding that ICE agents stop their “direct, brutal attack,” according to the News & Observer
Immigration rights groups told the News & Observer that federal agents detained at least 12 residents in the Triangle area on Tuesday. In Charlotte, nearly 200 people were arrested by agents between Saturday and Monday.
“The people of North Carolina deserve to be safe,” said North Carolina Governor Josh Stein.
In Charlotte, several people also gathered Tuesday night to demonstrate against the Customs and Border Patrol operations. The crowd formed near Manolos, a Latin American bakery that closed this week amid safety concerns and news of the ICE operations across the city.
Several businesses across the Triangle have also shut their doors due to the sweeps, including La Tapatia Supermarket in Raleigh. Several employees and absences from schools have also been reported, according to WRAL News.
Organizations in the Triangle have emerged in the midst of Customs and Border Patrol sweeps to offer resources and support for those concerned about the immigration enforcement operations.
These include:
