NC Gov. Stein asks for answers about Border Patrol in letter to DHS secretary

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein asked in a letter on Friday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security give more information about “Charlotte’s Web,” the Border Patrol operation in the city.

“State and local officials have been left guessing about what may happen next despite the critical role our law enforcement agencies play in ensuring that residents stay safe, protests remain peaceful, and communities are not driven to panic amid uncertainty and fear,” the governor wrote in his two-and-a-half page letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Among Stein’s questions: Where have people arrested been held? What policies are in place for areas where children are, like playgrounds and schools? And how long is the operation expected to last?

While local officials have said “Charlotte’s Web” is over, and while there appear to have been significantly fewer federal agent sightings since Wednesday, DHS has claimed it is not done in Charlotte.

DHS has said it’s netted 370 people in the Queen City. The agency has released names of 11. Agents also made arrests this week in the Triangle area.

Stein asked Noem to provide a comprehensive list of people arrested or detained and further details about those cases.

This is a developing story.

Ryan Oehrli covers criminal justice in the Charlotte region for The Charlotte Observer. His work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The Observer maintains full editorial control of its journalism.

This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 2:20 PM.