US Immigration Services Arrest Over 130 People in Charlotte VIDEO

US Immigration Services officers arrested more than 130 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the first days of their latest crackdown on illegal immigration, the Associated Press reported.

Similar operations previously took place in Los Angeles and Chicago.

The checks and arrests of illegal immigrants are linked to President Donald Trump's efforts to carry out mass deportations. To this end, the government is sending military and immigration officials to cities governed by the Democratic Party. The Trump administration has also cited the summer murder of Ukrainian refugee Irina Zarutska on a train in Charlotte as evidence that Democratic-run cities are failing to protect their residents.

The Department of Homeland Security said it was focusing on North Carolina’s largest city because of its so-called asylum policies that limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration authorities. Charlotte’s mayor is a Democrat and the city’s police force is not assisting federal agents in their operation, and the city’s jail will not accept detained immigrants.

Charlotte and its suburbs in Mecklenburg County continue to be among the fastest-growing areas in the United States, largely due to the influx of immigrants. Charlotte has a population of about 950,000, more than 150,000 of whom are foreign-born, according to local government figures. The largest share is Latino.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency reported that more than 130 people were arrested in Charlotte in just two days. Among those detained were people with criminal records for gang membership, assault, shoplifting and other crimes.

A few days before the agents arrived in Charlotte, organizations opposing the operation began training volunteers on how to recognize federal officers and counteract what was happening. The organizations want to make sure immigrants are aware of their rights.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, said that with their actions, law enforcement is increasing fears and divisions in Charlotte. He said border patrol agents wearing masks were judging who to stop based on skin color and making indiscriminate arrests on streets and in parking lots.

The chairman of the Mecklenburg County Republican Party, Kyle Kirby, welcomed the action and said the local Republican organization supports the rule of law and puts safety first.