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Border Patrol in Charlotte
U.S. Border Patrol began making rounds in Charlotte on Saturday morning.
This follows recent Border Patrol activity in Chicago that made headlines, with some reports alleging agents violated people’s rights.
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Update: Legends Ice Cream & Snacks shop reopened Friday, Nov. 21, after widespread reports that the U.S. Border Patrol has left the Charlotte area.
Charlotte’s Latino-owned restaurants are among the businesses struggling as the U.S. Border Patrol has entered the city, both for the chill it’s put on everyday transactions and for the well-being of their employees and customers in the community.
Javier Morales, the co-owner and franchisee of Charlotte’s Legends Ice Cream & Snacks shop who is also well known online as QC Javi, was among the business owners closing up shop until further notice.
“So right now there’s a lot of uncertainty — we have shut down. We are an ice cream shop that 80%-90% of our customers are Latino, because we sell Latino ice cream flavors. We have mangonadas, we have Mexican street corn, we have our Legends products, which are our big sellers that are just full of Latino flavor, and it’s what we try to do,” he told CharlotteFive.
“Right now, I cannot take the risk to bring my employees to be profiled because a lot of them speak Spanish. They look like me. I look like the profile that they’re looking for. So it is a risk that I am not willing to take. My customers — the same thing,” he continued.
Morales said there was only one customer in a two-hour stretch on Sunday at the East Charlotte treat shop, and his soft-serve product isn’t compatible with delivery. He’s concerned not only about his business, but also for the members of his community.
“Even in their face, you could tell that they were scared. They came in, got their things and left right out. The weather in Charlotte was beautiful this weekend, and as an ice cream shop, we should have been packed. We should have been busy, and now we’re dealing with our shutdown,” Morales said.
“It’s just really unfortunate that by the look of your skin, you’re being profiled and you’re being stopped — you’re being questioned,” he said.
Masked federal agents in paramilitary gear have arrested more than 130 people, snatching them up from public places including grocery stores, restaurants and even a church. A Department of Homeland Security statement has said the agents are arresting people with criminal records involving a variety of offenses including gang membership, shoplifting and DUI, among other things.
At Legends, Morales is looking for a way to sell gift cards for when the shop can open up once again and is trying to share resources for the community — both in English and Spanish.
He’s putting a pause on decorating for the holidays, noting: “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to commit to that just yet.”
“I just need to be vigilant and continue sharing the information that’s out there so that I can open as soon as possible without putting a target on anybody that that pertains to the business and to the community,” Morales said.
But he does hope officials can steer their priorities in another direction, “instead of the guy selling flowers on the corner of the street and all the businesses around here that are just trying to create a support for their families and share the beauty of everyone’s cultures.”
He said, “I do ask from legislation, from the people in charge, to be able to hold the people accountable for the way things are being handled, because it’s not the best way, and it’s not a human way to be able to interact with these people.”
Alex Cason contributed reporting.
In the Spotlight: Ongoing, in-depth coverage from The Charlotte Observer on the issues that matter most to Charlotteans.
This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
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Heidi Finley
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