Sheriff Says He Won’t Fold To ICE Pressure

CHARLOTTE, NC — Migrants and allies marched through the streets of Uptown Monday to let people know that ICE patrols ramping up on the streets have left people prisoner in their homes.

“Nobody is leaving their house because they are afraid to go out to work, they are afraid of sending their kids to school,” said Comunidad Collectiva’s Elver Barrios. “There’s a lot of moms that take their kids up to the bus stop, and they’re afraid of doing that.”

ICE updated the number of people it arrested for deportation in the first week of February from 200 to 270.

Most of those happened in Mecklenburg County.

ICE says the number will grow until Sheriffs like Garry McFadden give ICE back the power they had in jails to detain inmates without citizenship.

“So, this local policy change absolutely will result in more persons being encountered by ICE not less,” said ICE Spokesperson Bryan Cox.

ICE told WCCB CHarlotte Monday that one/fourth of the people arrested this month have no criminal charges.

They were nearby when agents targeted someone who did have an arrest on their record.

Protesters responded to critics who say ICE should arrest anyone undocumented.

“For them to say I don’t care, it’s selfish because they are taking advantage of people who are building their houses, cleaning their toilets when they go to work at these nice buildings Uptown. The cooks, the dishwashers at restaurants. I feel sorry for them because they don’t want to take those jobs.

They don’t want to be working construction and pouring concrete at 3:00 AM,” said Barrios. “Meanwhile, we’re having families were having kids were paying our taxes. So, we are contributing.”

Representative Alma Adams said in the crowd, a clear path to citizenship should be priority, not a wall.

For the first time Monday, Sheriff McFadden told the Latino community he has changed rules for ICE since the agency blamed him for the street arrests earlier this month.

“I hope they get the message,” said Sheriff McFadden.

He says, now, ICE agents must coordinate with deputies to get in the courthouse, and they must have a criminal warrant to come into the jail.

“I want you to be able to call us whether you’re documented, undocumented, witnesses or victims,” Sheriff McFadden told the crowd.

Latino churches and organizations told the sheriff they want a voice when it comes to ICE operations in Charlotte.

The sheriff is talking to Mecklenburg County Commissioners at the meeting Tuesday.