Federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are set to arrive in the Charlotte area in the coming days, as confirmed by local officials this week. This development highlights the ongoing tension between federal immigration enforcement priorities and the policies of cities led by Democrats.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that it had been informed about the federal agents’ arrival. However, the office made it clear that it has not been requested to support or engage in any operations. A spokesperson from the department conveyed to Fox News Digital on Friday that the sheriff’s office will have “zero involvement or participation in any CBP immigration enforcements or operations.”

This upcoming federal involvement in North Carolina coincides with Sheriff Garry L. McFadden’s efforts to remain in communication with federal authorities while keeping his department separate from direct immigration enforcement activities.

Earlier in the day, individuals detained were relocated to a parking lot on the northern edge of the city, before being moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on October 31, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.  (Jamie Kelter Davis/Getty Images)

The expected deployment of CBP agents in Charlotte represents the latest in a series of federal initiatives aimed at enhancing border-security measures across various regions of the United States.

In recent months, CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have sent personnel to major metropolitan areas including Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Those operations have sparked protests from anti-immigration activists. In Portland, Oregon, protests have flared since June. Anti-ICE graffiti has been scrawled outside of detention centers, and demonstrations have become violent at times between protesters and federal agents.

WATCH: Federal immigration agents dodge bullets, speeding cars in CA

Federal officials have described the deployments as part of an expanded effort to disrupt smuggling networks and track illegal aliens.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country. We do not discuss future or potential operations.”

Local pressures mount

The timing of the announcement comes as Charlotte faces intensifying scrutiny over violent crime.

Homicides and aggravated assaults have risen sharply this year, prompting Republican lawmakers to urge Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to deploy the National Guard. For now, the governor has resisted that call from Republican lawmakers, and local officials have argued that public safety remains a local responsibility.

“Recently, the city faced eight homicides in seven days. The murder rate in uptown Charlotte is now 200% higher than it was a year ago,” a letter from a trio of Republican lawmakers said. “According to the Fraternal Order of Police, aggravated assaults involving knives or guns have risen from 86 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, and personal strong-arm robberies have increased from 26 to 31 in the same period.”

A view of the memorial dedicated to slain 23-year-old Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska at the East/West Blvd light rail station in Charlotte on September 11, 2025. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

According to the Charlotte Police Department’s quarterly statistics report, violent crimes, commercial burglaries and larcenies from automobiles have all gone up in Charlotte since last year. But other crimes like homicides, rapes, property crimes and arson have come down modestly from levels in 2024. In many categories, Charlotte’s current crime levels are meaningfully lower than rates in 2022 and 2023, with some exceptions. 

On Aug. 22, the stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska garnered attention after her killing was captured on surveillance video while she was commuting home from her pizzeria job. The footage captured the 23-year-old cowering as her alleged killer leered over her with a folding knife seconds before the attack. 

Police revealed that her accused killer was identified as Decarlos Brown Jr., a repeat offender with a lengthy rap sheet. 

‘Committed to transparency’

In his earlier statement Wednesday, McFadden sought to reassure residents that his office “remains committed to transparency” and that any coordination with federal agencies will be limited to information-sharing, not enforcement.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said the sheriff, Garry L. McFadden, was contacted by two unnamed federal officials this week who said U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel will be arriving in the Charlotte area either Saturday or early next week. (The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)

“It allows us to stay informed and be proactive in keeping Mecklenburg County safe and to maintain the level of trust our community deserves,” McFadden said.