A Latino resident of North Carolina expressed deep regret after voting for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, saying he “100 %” wishes he had chosen differently. His disappointment comes after Charlotte became the latest focus of the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement operations over the weekend.
Masked and heavily armored immigration agents descended on Charlotte, despite vocal objections from local leaders and downtrending crime rates. This marks a new phase in a broader administration push to portray Democratic-led cities as dangerously violent, protesters as radical threats, and undocumented immigrants as inherently criminal.
During his campaign, Trump promised that immigration enforcement would focus solely on criminals, according to Willy, the resident interviewed by MS Now. However, he says the administration’s recent actions reveal a clear pattern of specifically targeting Latino people rather than prioritizing criminal activity.
Contrary to the administration’s stated goal of apprehending only “the worst of the worst,” raids have routinely occurred at retail stores, apartment complexes, immigration courts, and even near schools and churches. In some instances, U.S. citizens were mistakenly detained amid the chaos.
In recent months, top White House officials, including Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, have promoted enforcement operations online with militaristic language likening raids to thrilling hunting expeditions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has joined Trump and Bovino in amplifying misleading claims about undocumented migrants, protesters, and bystanders, framing them as an “enemy within.”
The Charlotte raids sparked widespread concern about the treatment of detainees, the duration of operations, and the aggressive tactics used, which have faced criticism for being both racist and heavy‑handed. On Saturday, at least one U.S. citizen said he was thrown to the ground and briefly detained, according to The Associated Press.
At Camino, a nonprofit serving Latino communities, staff reported that many residents were too frightened to leave their homes for school, work, or medical appointments. Paola Garcia, the organization’s spokesperson, said a dental clinic run by Camino had nine appointments canceled on Friday alone due to fear of the raids.
Q: You told me that you voted for President Trump in 2024. Do you regret that decision?
NC voter: Yes, 100%. He said he was going to catch the criminals, but right now, he doesn’t follow criminals. He goes specific to Latino people. pic.twitter.com/V3jTbo85DS
— FactPost (@factpostnews) November 17, 2025
Paola Garcia, a spokesperson for Camino, highlighted the deep ties and values within the Latino community. “Latinos love this country. They came here to escape socialism and communism, and they’re hard workers and people of faith,” she said. “They love their family, and it’s just so sad to see that this community now has this target on their back.”
Trump’s 2024 performance among Latino voters marked a near-historic level of support, with 48 % of their votes, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. This came despite the Republican Party’s substantial losses in the same demographic during 2016 and 2020.
The aggressive enforcement campaigns overseen by Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino in Chicago and Los Angeles sparked multiple lawsuits over excessive use of force, including the deployment of chemical agents. Democratic officials in both cities accused federal agents of heightening community tensions, and in one suburban Chicago traffic stop, an ICE operation resulted in a fatal shooting.
ICE, historically focused on public safety and national security, shifted dramatically under Trump’s leadership to prioritize mass deportations. Newly allocated funding from the domestic spending bill transformed the agency into the nation’s largest law enforcement body, surpassing even the resources of some military branches.
Some ICE agents reportedly embraced the increased autonomy, which gave them broader discretion over arrests, according to CNN. Others felt immense pressure to meet unrealistic arrest targets, often apprehending individuals with no criminal history.
In May, White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Trump’s so-called “border czar” Tom Homan instructed ICE to detain 3,000 suspected undocumented immigrants per day, regardless of criminal status. Agents were told to conduct operations in a wide range of locations, including routine immigration checks, courts, and worksites nationwide.
Language used by vocal administration officials has drawn criticism, as they often describe immigrants as “illegal aliens,” a term dehumanizing to many and seen by opponents as justifying aggressive policies. While some supporters equate undocumented status with criminality, being undocumented in the U.S. constitutes a civil violation, not a criminal offense.
