Tillis Demands Answers from DHS Over NC Immigration Operations & Citizen Concerns

Washington D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) has formally requested detailed answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding recent immigration enforcement operations conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The inquiry, delivered in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on February 2, 2026, centers on operations in North Carolina and Minnesota, raising concerns about potential overreach and lack of transparency.

The letter specifically references “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” a CBP operation carried out in North Carolina beginning on November 15, 2025. While Senator Tillis applauded the apprehension of individuals with extensive criminal records during the operation – February 2nd’s letter states the operation resulted in the arrest of “several criminal illegal aliens with extensive criminal records” – he simultaneously expressed concern over reports of U.S. Citizens being detained, subjected to force and experiencing damage to personal property.

According to DHS figures, Operation Charlotte’s Web resulted in the detention of 425 individuals identified as “criminal illegal immigrants” over a one-week period, from November 15th to November 21st, 2025. However, Senator Tillis seeks clarification on the veracity of reports alleging inappropriate conduct towards U.S. Citizens during the same operation.

The senator’s concerns extend beyond North Carolina to include recent enforcement actions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which have been described as “violent, and tragic.” While the letter does not explicitly detail the incidents in Minneapolis, it underscores a broader pattern of concern regarding the conduct of federal immigration enforcement agencies.

Senator Tillis’s letter emphasizes the need for interior enforcement operations to be “effective, disciplined, and fully compliant with constitutional and statutory limits.” He acknowledges the historical adherence to these standards by CBP and ICE but suggests that recent operations have fallen short, necessitating “direct oversight.”

The inquiry specifically highlights two cases in North Carolina involving U.S. Citizens. One case involves Willy Aceituno, who was detained twice in the same day, and whose vehicle window was broken by agents during a CBP operation. The second case concerns Fernando Vásquez, an 18-year-old who was arrested at his workplace and subsequently abandoned in a wooded area, with his belongings scattered on the ground.

“I seek clarification as to whether these reports are merely disingenuous accounts from partisans who do not share our commitment to a secure border, or if they reflect substantiated incidents,” Senator Tillis wrote in the letter. He further stated that if the reports are inaccurate, a public clarification would be appreciated, but if accurate, “represent a failure in safeguards and that demands corrective action.”

The senator’s request for information is comprehensive, encompassing details on every interaction conducted by CBP and ICE agents, including stops, detentions, questioning, searches, releases, use of force, property damage, and interactions with U.S. Citizens. He is requesting encounter-level data to facilitate an objective evaluation of the operations.

Senator Tillis, who is retiring at the end of his current term, has previously been critical of Secretary Noem and Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Trump, describing them as “adulators” and “incompetent.” Despite this, he has also praised Tom Homan, the “Border Czar,” acknowledging the progress made in securing the southern border under his leadership, while suggesting that the same level of success has not been replicated in interior enforcement operations.

The senator has requested a written response and the provision of detailed information by March 2, 2026, ahead of Secretary Noem’s scheduled testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026. This timeline suggests a deliberate effort to gather information and prepare for a potentially contentious hearing regarding the DHS’s immigration enforcement policies and practices.

The demand for accountability comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics, particularly concerning the balance between border security and the protection of civil liberties. The incidents in North Carolina and Minnesota have fueled debate over the appropriate level of force and the potential for misidentification and wrongful detention of U.S. Citizens during immigration enforcement operations. The outcome of Senator Tillis’s inquiry and Secretary Noem’s response could have significant implications for the future of immigration enforcement policy in the United States.