U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that 24 individuals suspected of being undocumented immigrants were taken into custody earlier this month. The arrests occurred between March 1 and March 8 as part of a coordinated operation involving multiple federal law enforcement agencies. ICE has not publicly released the identities of those detained.
Among those arrested, two individuals were reported to have ties to the Mara Salvatrucha gang, commonly known as MS-13. This gang, which was originally formed by Salvadorean immigrants in the United States, has been classified as a transnational criminal organization by the federal government.
ICE stated that many of the detained individuals faced various charges, including illegal firearm possession, property crimes, driving while intoxicated (DWI), and other felony offenses. The agency is also seeking at least 18 additional individuals with outstanding immigration detainers. These detainers are formal requests issued by ICE to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies, asking them to notify ICE before releasing a noncitizen and to hold the individual for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release, allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take them into custody.
According to ICE, six of the individuals arrested in this operation had outstanding immigration detainers in Mecklenburg County. The agency reiterated its commitment to enforcing immigration laws, stating that its goal is to safeguard national security and maintain the integrity of the immigration system by arresting and removing individuals who may pose a risk to public safety.
This operation follows a similar effort in February when ICE detained five individuals in the Charlotte area. ICE has increased enforcement activities in 2024, in line with the Trump administration’s goal of deporting a large number of undocumented immigrants. New White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the administration views all undocumented immigrants as violating U.S. law.
While some individuals enter the U.S. without documentation, a significant number initially arrive legally but overstay their visas. According to a 2023 Congressional Research Service report, approximately 42% of the estimated 11 million undocumented people in the U.S. are visa overstayers. ICE raids have become more frequent across various cities, with the administration urging undocumented individuals to voluntarily leave the country.
