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More than 250 individuals have been detained in Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of continuing federal immigration control actions, according to official sources.

Widening Federal Measures

Charlotte marks the newest American city to face strengthened federal presence, following similar actions in major metropolitan areas like Chicago and Los Angeles in recent months. Federal authorities have asserted that those detained include individuals with criminal backgrounds and street gang participants.

Local Resistance

However, elected officials and residents have strongly criticized the arrests, which federal authorities have termed "Operation Charlotte's Web". The state's top elected official has claimed that people are being targeted based on their ethnicity.

"We've witnessed concealed, armed personnel in tactical garb driving non-descript vehicles, targeting American citizens based on their appearance, utilizing racial discrimination and apprehending unspecified people in parking areas," commented the state governor. "This strategy is not strengthening our security."

Official Position

In a newly released announcement, a federal spokesperson claimed that the operation has resulted in the detention of "some of the most dangerous criminal unauthorized persons", encompassing gang members.

Additional persons taken into custody had been sentenced for diverse crimes, comprising violence toward law enforcement officers, DWI offenses, theft and altering government records, according to the department.

Community Reaction

The city's municipal leader, also a liberal politician, encouraged federal authorities to function with "regard" for the city's standards. She furthermore commended those who took part in substantial numbers on Saturday to oppose the federal government's measures in the city.

"I am profoundly troubled by many of the recordings I've viewed," commented the municipal executive. "To each person in Charlotte who is experiencing worried or fearful: you are not alone. Your city supports you."

Persisting Measures

Federal authorities have not disclosed how long the operations will persist. Chicago's crackdown started in September and remains in progress. Similar to other cities experiencing immigration enforcement, certain foreign nationals in Charlotte are staying indoors due to apprehension about federal officers in the community, according to local media.

The chief executive stated he's observing reports that the campaign will expand to Raleigh, a different North Carolina city, subsequently.

"Repeatedly, I urge federal authorities to focus on aggressive lawbreakers, not neighbors moving along the avenue, going to church, or putting up holiday displays," he wrote.