Immigrant advocates gathered Monday to denounce recent detentions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Charlotte area over the past week.
Carolina Migrant Network, Charlotte East Language Academy PTA and the Unitarian Universalist Community of Charlotte spoke Monday at the Charlotte is Home Center in east Charlotte.
Carolina Migrant Network works to verify detentions in Mecklenburg County and operates a hotline where people can report tips. The group says they have received over 130 calls since last Monday, but still does not have an exact number of ICE detainees in the area.
Stefania Arteaga of Carolina Migrant Network said detentions impact the families of detainees and the general public.
“These are people that are living their everyday lives, who are part of our community and that are facing significant hardships,” Arteaga said. “Going around in our community, abducting people in broad daylight, does not make us feel safe.”
The Charlotte East Language Academy PTA also spoke out against activity near the school last week, which resulted in the arrest of two undocumented immigrants, one of whom was the father of a student. The PTA is calling on the CMS school board to provide trauma-informed training for teachers and staff.
ICE says it has been conducting a larger operation in areas including Charlotte but has not given any details.
