Wednesday, Nov. 19: School Assurances + GOP Support + Durham Response
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Your local news briefing
5 Headlines You Should Know Today
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Triangle Arrests: Federal agents make arrests in Durham, Cary, and Raleigh, prompting school assurances and community protests.
Border Patrol agents made multiple arrests across the Triangle on Tuesday, including in Durham and Cary. Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell confirmed sightings and urged calm, while Gov. Josh Stein and Rep. Valerie Foushee criticized the federal operation. Wake County Public Schools reassured families about student safety, and immigrant advocacy groups organized protests.
Durham Response: City, county, and schools denounce fear-based immigration actions; sheriff reiterates non-cooperation.
Durham officials issued a unified statement supporting immigrant communities after reports of Border Patrol activity in Raleigh. Leaders condemned actions that create fear and noted past ICE incidents in the city. Sheriff Clarence Birkhead reiterated that the county does not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Durham previously designated city departments as Fourth Amendment Workplaces.
GOP Support: Republican leaders back expanded federal enforcement as Democrats condemn statewide raids.
North Carolina’s top Republican leaders are backing expanded federal immigration enforcement statewide. Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall highlighted their focus on combating illegal immigration, tying recent arrests to past disputes over ICE detainer requests. GOP figures including Rep. Erin Paré and Senate candidate Michael Whatley echoed their support. Gov. Josh Stein and other Democrats publicly opposed the operations.
School Assurances: Wake schools reaffirm protections for all students amid raids, educators call for safeguards.
As immigration operations extend into Raleigh, Wake County school officials emphasized that all students are protected and welcome, regardless of immigration status. The district reaffirmed privacy safeguards, shared coping resources for families, and outlined procedures to prevent unauthorized law enforcement access to schools. Educators warned that fear tied to these operations is affecting classrooms.
Vendor Protection: Brown Berets launch safety initiative for Latino vendors amid raids and violence.
Following a deadly shooting at a Durham food truck and increased federal immigration raids, the Autonomous Brown Berets Party of North Carolina has launched a street-vendor protection initiative. Formed in 2022, the group supports Indigenous and Latino communities through mutual aid, education, and self-defense. Leaders say local ICE activity has intensified fear and made visible protection efforts more urgent.
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