This is a developing story. We will update it as new information becomes available.
At least three people have been detained in Durham as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began immigration enforcement actions in the Triangle on Tuesday, a county official confirmed.
Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell confirmed to the INDY and The Assembly Monday night that federal agents were expected to be “active” in the city on Tuesday. Although Durham officials were not informed of any planned CBP activity, individuals have reported seeing agents in the city, and Nida Allam, who chairs the Durham County Board of Commissioners, said she witnessed three people taken into custody in a Durham shopping center on Avondale Drive.
CBP’s presence in the Triangle comes on the heels of “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” in which at least 130 people were detained in Charlotte over the weekend.
“For those of us that have been following the developments in Charlotte, it can be difficult to hear that these operations, which have already disrupted the lives of so many trying to make their way to work and to school, are being expanded,” a spokesperson from Siembra NC, a statewide immigrant advocacy group, said in a video on social media late Monday night. “But as CBP looks to bring their operations to the Triangle, we know that it will find yet another community ready to ensure that every one of their neighbors is free to live and work safely.”
Why is Border Patrol in the Triangle?
The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on potential operations in and around Raleigh, but the actions come as the Trump administration targets blue cities as part of an effort to ramp up deportations.
In recent months, Border Patrol agents have conducted operations in Democrat-run cities far away from the U.S.-Mexico border, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and now Charlotte.
Republicans have pointed to crime in these areas, particularly the Charlotte murder of Iryna Zarutska, to justify the presence of federal agents.
Like in Charlotte, violent crime is down in Durham and Raleigh.
Durham has previously been singled out by the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security labeled Durham a sanctuary jurisdiction. Durham officials denied the characterization, and an online list of jurisdictions that also included neighboring Orange County was taken down. Durham landed in national headlines again when the city council (along with Carrboro’s town council) voted in August to join area businesses as Fourth Amendment workplaces. The Fourth Amendment Workplaces initiative trains employers on what to do if immigration agents show up.
In 2018, voters in five urban counties elected sheriffs who campaigned on pledges to curtail coordination with ICE, including Durham sheriff Clarence Birkhead, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, and then Wake sheriff Gerald Baker. Since then, the state legislature has chipped away at sheriffs’ discretion on whether to coordinate with ICE, requiring them to notify the agency before releasing certain people from jail and to hold them for up to 48 hours after scheduled release to allow federal officials to take them into custody.
What do we know about Border Patrol’s presence in the Triangle?
Cowell, the Raleigh mayor, confirmed to the INDY and The Assembly Monday night that Border Patrol was expected to be “active” in Raleigh on Tuesday, though Cowell said the city hadn’t been informed of any specific plans.
“While the Raleigh Police Department is not involved in immigration enforcement, we are committed to protecting our residents and to following the law,” Cowell said. “… This is a key moment to reaffirm our commitment to serving all members of our community. If you need help from the police, you call 911, and help will come. I ask Raleigh to remember our values and maintain peace and respect through any upcoming challenges.”
Siembra NC, which helped lead rapid response to CBP’s operation in Charlotte and created a statewide map of ICE and Border Patrol activity, said in a call-out for volunteers that “we think the reports of Border Patrol traveling to Raleigh tomorrow are credible,” adding Raleigh and Garner appear to be the likeliest targets.
Individuals have reported sightings of agents in multiple locations across Durham Tuesday, and Allam confronted agents detaining people outside Beauty World on Avondale Drive. A Durham Police Department spokesperson told INDY Monday night he had not been informed of any plans operations, and noted federal agencies do not need to notify local law enforcement.
“Many Durham County residents work in Wake County and many Wake County residents work in Durham,” Allam wrote to the INDY Tuesday morning. “We are one Triangle and we are great because of our diversity and it is appalling that this administration is instilling fear that causes families to be concerned for their safety for simply going to work, dropping their kids at school, getting groceries or even going to church.”
What are local officials saying?
On Tuesday morning, Allam, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams, and Durham County Board of Education Chair Bettina Umstead issued a joint statement that affirmed the city’s commitment to protecting immigrants but did not address whether Durham would be targeted.
The Wake County Public School System issued a statement Tuesday stating that the district does not ask for or record information about students’ and families’ immigration status and sharing resources for talking to children about what’s happening.
“Building leaders have been reminded of the procedures that law enforcement agencies must follow when interacting with students on campus,” the statement said. “If law enforcement seeks access to a school, we will consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable laws.”
Community Resources
Several local groups have established rapid response networks to support community members amid immigration enforcement operations.
Siembra NC is coordinating volunteers to work shifts monitoring areas considered vulnerable to enforcement activity and has established a hotline community members can call to help gather information about the presence of federal agents.
The Carolina Migrant Network provides free legal representation for people in detention centers and removal proceedings and can be reached at 704-740-7737.
Durham Public Schools Strong, Durham for All, and allied groups are organizing school-based community response teams. Volunteers will gather near Durham Public School entrances Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week during drop-off times to hold signs, report federal agent sightings, and collect support requests from parents.
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