NC Residents Sue DHS Over Warrantless Arrests

0:00On March 3rd, here's the latest out of Durham. Five North Carolina residents have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its agents. They claim immigration officers arrested them without warrants or probable cause between November and January. Four of the plaintiffs are U.S. citizens and one holds a valid word permit and U.V.S.A. The arrest had placed during Operation Charlotte's Web, a Department of Homeland Security effort, launched in November. It sent hundreds of officers to Charlotte and other cities to target violent criminals. Overall, the operation led to more than 400 arrests. Local businesses felt the fallout right away. Owners reported customers fleeing from agents and parking lots, causing sharp drops in revenue at places like laundromats. School districts across the state, including Charlotte, Mecklenburg, and Durham, saw higher absenteeism as fear spread through immigrant communities. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs described rough handling by agents, like being dragged from vehicles or punched during stops.

1:03In one case, officers confirmed citizenship, but still detained someone briefly before releasing them on a random street. The suit, backed by the ACLU of North Carolina and other groups, seeks to block future warrantless arrests and rule the policies unlawful. Advocates say these actions damage public trust in harmed children's education and safety. Support for this episode comes from our sponsor. See the description. Your bedtime ritual just got better. Built in Sound, Built in Comfort, S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com