On November 15, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security sent a swarm of U.S. Border Patrol agents into my home city of Charlotte, North Carolina. These masked agents targeted Charlotte’s Latino population, apprehending people in public spaces, such as supermarkets, busy streets, and even a church. The operation sparked a sense of fear that quickly spread throughout Charlotte’s Latino neighborhoods and caused many residents to stay home and keep their children out of school.