Mecklenburg County could learn from Minnesota ICE drawdown

Some of the most intense scenes and confrontations since the Trump administration began its immigration enforcement operations last year have happened in blue cities and states where there is little to no cooperation allowed between local law enforcement and ICE when it comes to finding and arresting criminal illegal immigrants.

Last June in Los Angeles, for example, saw protests and riots break out, with some Los Angeles city streets and highways looking like war zones due to fires being set and boulders being dropped from overpasses to try to target law enforcement in an effort to prevent them from keeping the peace as immigration enforcement agents did their jobs.

Similar scenes played out in Minneapolis as well, with anti-ICE agitators being emboldened by incendiary rhetoric from Gov. Tim Walz (D), who called ICE President Donald Trump’s “modern-day Gestapo,” and Mayor Jacob Frey (D), who has characterized ICE as an “occupying force” in his city for the apparent crime of carrying out the laws passed by Congress.

The heightened rhetoric and tensions led to two incidents where shots were fired by agents who felt their lives and those of their colleagues were in danger. As a result, two anti-ICE protesters were killed.

After the second such incident, two critical things happened: The Trump administration handed over the leadership role for the Minneapolis operation to his border czar, Tom Homan. Walz also reached out to Trump directly, and a discussion ensued that appears to have involved a concession from Walz on cooperation between law enforcement in the state and ICE, where detainers will be honored.

The result has been remarkable. In early February, Homan announced that “effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people effective today. Seven hundred law enforcement personnel.” The reason for that, Homan stated, was the “unprecedented cooperation” between state and local law enforcement and ICE.

“The surge was structured to force compliance on specific criminal enforcement priorities and accelerate ongoing fraud investigations,” independent journalist Julio Rosas, a veteran of reporting on illegal immigration as well as enforcement operations, explained.

“Once cooperation was secured and operational goals were met, federal authorities transitioned away from surge-level staffing while maintaining investigative personnel.”

Operation Charlotte’s Web went on here in the Queen City for several weeks, something brought about thanks in part to Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden (D). McFadden’s continued refusal to honor ICE detainers has resulted in dangerous criminal illegal immigrant offenders being released back on city streets to further victimize the community and led the North Carolina General Assembly to pass laws that seek to rectify the lack of cooperation.

In a House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing in Raleigh last Monday, McFadden utterly embarrassed himself by, among other things, insinuating that the criticism of him by state lawmakers was in part because he was black. He was also unable to answer under which branch of government he served in a moment during the hearing that has since gone viral nationally.

“Um, are you aware of how many branches of government there are?” state Rep. Allen Chesser asked him in exasperation after McFadden first told him the branch he served under was “Mecklenburg County” and then “the Constitution” after being asked again.

“No,” the sheriff replied in response to the question about what the three branches of government were.

There are many things the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office can learn from what happened once Minnesota began cooperating with ICE. But first, McFadden should brush up on the legislative, executive and judicial branches to get himself up to speed.

North Carolina native Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a media analyst and regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.