‘Immigrants rest assured.’ Border Patrol chief responds to NC operation criticism
The U.S. Border Patrol official expected to lead operations in Charlotte took to social media Friday to publicly acknowledge his agency’s move into the Queen City and respond to state leaders critical of the move.
Greg Bovino, a longtime Border Patrol agent who led the group’s recent controversial Chicago operation, reposted a statement from Charlotte-area U.S. Rep. Alma Adams criticizing Border Patrol’s presence. Bovino said the agency would target undocumented immigrants.
“Immigrants rest assured, we have your back like we did in Chicago and Los Angeles. Rep. Adams, perhaps you & Gov. STEIN should learn the difference between an illegal alien & an immigrant. Illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities and should self deport via CBP Home,” Bovino wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Bovino replied to an Observer staffer that the response to Adams was “just setting some facts straight and helping educate elected representatives who fail to see the difference in those who did it the right way ( immigrants) and those who broke our nation’s laws ( illegal aliens).”
Bovino’s comments on social media follow the latest statement from Gov. Josh Stein on Border Patrol coming to Charlotte.
Stein said law enforcement “should all focus on and arrest violent criminals and drug traffickers” but that “unfortunately, that’s not always what we have seen with ICE and Border Patrol Agents in Chicago and elsewhere around the country.”
“The vast majority of people they have detained have no criminal convictions, and some are American citizens,” Stein said.
The governor encouraged residents to “follow the law” and “remain peaceful” but also document Border Patrol behavior when possible.
“We do not allow ourselves to be provoked. We stand with our neighbors. And when we see injustice, we bear witness. If you see any inappropriate behavior, use your phones to record and notify local law enforcement, who will continue to keep our communities safe long after these federal agents leave,” Stein said. “That’s the North Carolina way.”
Local and state Democratic leaders gathered outside the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center Friday morning demanding more transparency from Border Patrol, describing themselves as blindsided by the agency’s decision to come to Charlotte. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden confirmed Border Patrol’s plans Thursday after days of speculation.
Immigration-related arrests are already on the rise in Charlotte, a Charlotte Observer investigation found previously. ICE arrested about three times the number of people in the first half of 2025 countywide compared to the same time in 2024, data show.
This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM.
