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The granddaughter of E.B. White, the author of the classic 1952 children’s book “Charlotte’s Web,” slammed the Trump administration on Monday for using the book’s title as an inspiration for its immigration raid in Charlotte, North Carolina, which officials are calling “Operation Charlotte’s Web.”
Martha White said her grandfather, who died in 1985, would not support the immigration sweeps in Charlotte and across the country, as she denounced the Department of Homeland Security’s reference to her grandfather’s beloved tale.
“He believed in the rule of law and due process,” Martha White, who works as her grandfather’s literary executor, said in a statement. “He certainly didn’t believe in masked men, in unmarked cars, raiding people’s homes and workplaces without IDs or summons.”
She emphasized that in “Charlotte’s Web,” the spider devoted her life on the farm to protecting a pig named Wilbur and securing his freedom.
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The administration and Republican leaders have used various catchy phrases for immigration operations as they seek to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, including by naming migrant holding facilities Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, Speedway Slammer in Indiana and Cornhusker Clink in Nebraska.
Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official now leading the operation in Charlotte, was the face of the “Operation At Large” in Los Angeles and “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago earlier this year.
“‘Wherever the wind takes us. High, low. Near, far. East, west. North, south. We take to the breeze, we go as we please,'” Bovino quoted from “Charlotte’s Web” in a social media post on Sunday, shortly after the immigration sweep in North Carolina’s largest city began.
“This time, the breeze hit Charlotte like a storm. From border towns to the Queen City, our agents go where the mission calls,” he continued.
The immigration sweep began over the weekend, and DHS said on Monday that more than 130 migrants were arrested in two days. The agency also said nearly 1,400 detainers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have not been honored by local authorities.
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Officials in Charlotte have vowed to resist the immigration sweeps and stand up for the migrant community.
In a joint statement on Monday, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education Chair Stephanie Sneed said the raids are “causing unnecessary fear and uncertainty in our community as recent operations in other cities have resulted in people without criminal records being detained and violent protests being the result of unwarranted actions.”
“Our organizations believe that our diversity makes us stronger,” the statement reads. “And with that belief, we are unwavering in our commitment to a safe and welcoming community where everyone can grow and thrive. It is critical for all residents to feel secure in our community and know they can live their lives without being fearful while walking down the street, going to school, work or the grocery store.”
“We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives, contributing to our larger community,” it added. “Each of our organizations have made commitments to the people we serve to protect their rights and dignity. We are committed to following the law and to protecting the rights of all people who call Charlotte and Mecklenburg County home.”
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North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein also stated that the operation is “stoking fear and dividing our community.”
“We’ve seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars targeting American citizens based on their skin color, racially profiling and picking up random people in parking lots and off of our sidewalks,” Stein said in a video posted to X.
Trump has targeted Democrat-led cities for migrant sweeps as part of his mass deportation plan. His administration earlier this year reversed a Biden administration rule that prohibited raids in sensitive areas such as churches, schools and hospitals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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