Operation Charlotte's Web: Community Leaders on the 2025 Immigration Enforcement Surge

April 29

1h 1m

Episode Description

Indivisible Charlotte’s In the Know Live, hosted by Freda Zeh and Wes Fryer, features a recorded panel with community leaders Rachel Salo (Indivisible Charlotte), Hector Vaca (Action NC), Stefanía Arteaga (Carolina Migrant Network), and Marcelle Vielot (Charlotte Metrolina Labor Council) on the November 2025 immigration enforcement surge in Charlotte, dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web.” Panelists describe the operation as a targeted campaign of fear by CBP, discuss why Charlotte was selected, and explain distinctions between CBP and ICE. They outline coalition organizing through the Charlotte Immigrant Protection Alliance, including verifier networks, live alerts to 70,000 people, street patrols, school watches, mutual aid, Know Your Rights trainings, protests, and pressure on local officials. They address workplace disruptions, limited legal protections and capacity, ongoing documentation of civil rights violations, upcoming May Day organizing, lessons about impacted-community leadership, cross-movement solidarity, and the importance of self-care.

00:00 Welcome and Format

01:00 Meet the Panelists

02:39 Why Charlotte Was Targeted

05:32 Community Pushback Wins

06:33 Under Siege and Alerts

09:51 Coalition Mobilizes Fast

12:44 ICE vs CBP Explained

18:09 Action NC Organizing Playbook

22:47 Labor Impacts at Worksites

29:00 Legal System Failures

31:05 Legal Aid Hit Hard

32:06 State Response Gaps