CHARLOTTE — Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino is commenting for the first time to North Carolina officials ahead of CBP’s arrival as soon as Saturday. His post was targeted to Gov. Josh Stein and Rep. Alma Adams and takes issue with them describing people being arrested as “immigrants” instead of “criminal aliens.”
“Immigrants rest assured, we have your back like we did in Chicago and Los Angeles,” he said. “Rep. Adams, perhaps you & Gov. STEIN should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant. Illegal aliens have no place in our communities and should self deport via CBP Home.”
Since the confirmation of the Customs and Border Protection operation by Sheriff Garry McFadden, uncertainty remains about what exactly takes place.
ICE and CBP have similar missions. What happens starting Saturday is not an ICE operation. ICE has been and will continue to make arrests every day. CBP is coming to Charlotte for a specific purpose. CBP will make the arrests, but not keep an extensive presence.
CBP just wrapped up Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago after a little more than two months.
Rep. Tim Moore doesn’t think Charlotte’s operations will be anywhere near as long
“I think they’re only here for a few days, and this is a very targeted law enforcement activity,” he said.
Like many people, he doesn’t know specifics on what agents will be doing but he thinks that is a good thing.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to say anything to jeopardize this mission and to jeopardize the safety of these men and women,” he said.
Democratic lawmakers say the lack of information is creating uncertainty and panic.
“What a way to govern where we have had community members, elected officials and even reporters on these fact-finding missions just to find out if a federal force is coming into Charlotte,” State Sen. Caleb Theodros said.
While the community waits to see what the impact will be, Gilbert Pagan, of Hispanos Del Sur, says he doesn’t think sensitive areas like schools or churches will be targeted. That’s because, like ICE, CBP has great intelligence.
“They have data. They have they have tools. They have information. And they know where people work,” he said. “They know where they are, generally speaking, they know relatives’ homes. They know. They know where to find them.”
VIDEO: Local Democratic leaders respond to Border Patrol operations in Charlotte
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