Video shows Border Patrol agents on the streets of Charlotte, despite conflicting reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – New video shows border patrol agents still working on the streets of Charlotte Monday morning. The Department of Homeland Security confirms Operation Charlotte’s Web is progressing despite reports of the end of the operation last week.

After more than a week of laying low during the immigration crackdown, Manolo’s Bakery has reopened. The owner, Manolo Betancur is an American citizen but he closed his doors to protect employees and customers.

“Having the doors closed was a big loss for us,” Betacur said. “One of the toughest days for me last week was when I had to take all the cakes out of my freezer, 10 cakes to the trash…many of those cakes said ‘Happy Birthday Son’ and they never came to pick them up, I wonder if some of those people were taken by ICE or if they made it back home.”

In five days of Operation Charlottes Web, Border Patrol agents arrested more than 370 people accused of living in the country illegally. Less than 50 of the people arrested have criminal records, but DHS says they are targeting, ‘some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens’. There have been mixed messages about the status of the Operation. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff and Mayor both released statements saying Charlotte’s Web is over. Manolo Betancur recorded a video of agents active on the East side Monday morning.

“We are still in fear when I was arriving to the bakery [Monday] morning it was the first thing I saw,” Betancur said. “The thing that really took our sleep away is the children that lost their fathers.”

The Poor Peoples Campaign and Repairers of the Breach visited Charlotte for a Moral Monday protest at First Baptist Church-West where organizers launched the Liberty Van.

“These are top of the notch vans staffed by professional driver, professional reporter, clergy and a lawyer, with the focus on immigration status, and they’ll move around where media might not be,” Bishop William Barber, from Repairers of The Breach said.

Bishop Barber says he’s impressed by the unity shown in Charlotte and says he hopes to see people rise up against all injustice like the fight for healthcare, economic stability and other essential needs.

“At some point, we have to see this is not just an attack on democracy. It’s not political. It’s an attack on our humanity. It’s attack on civilization, it’s attack on our future,” Bishop Barber said.

He’s calling for North Carolina General Assembly to call for a cease and desist of Border Patrol operations in the state while organizing an emergency session to discuss Medicaid benefits that millions of North Carolinians could lose by next year.

Some people still feel unsafe with Border Patrol roaming Charlotte streets, at Manolo’s his hours are still reduced and some staff are staying home for safety.

“One day at a time. Every day is a new day,” Betancur said. “The most important thing here is the safety for all our community.”
The City of Charlotte has committed $100,000 to businesses and households impacted by the economic disruption caused by Charlotte’s Web. The money will be distributed through non-profits.