Federal agents have descended on the city of Charlotte in North Carolina as part of US president Donald Trump's expanding crackdown on illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said.
It announced "Operation Charlotte's Web" on Saturday, saying "criminal illegal aliens" would be targeted in the Democratic-run city.
Local officials, including Mayor of Charlotte Li Vyles, released a joint statement criticising the operation, saying it was causing "unnecessary fear and uncertainty" in the community.
Since Trump's return to office he has deployed troops to Washington DC, Los Angeles and Chicago to deliver on his promise of "the largest deportation programme" in US history.
"We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
