Construction Sites Empty Across Charlotte as ICE Raids Trigger Citywide Panic

Charlotte’s construction industry has gone ghost-town silent as Latino workers flee worksites amid daily Border Patrol and ICE raids

Here’s what went down

Read this if you track immigration enforcement, labor shortages, or local economic fallout

What Just Happened

Since November 15, Border Patrol and ICE have raided churches, streets, barbershops, Home Depots, and construction sites. Video shows officers storming a Panda Express job site. Workers are fleeing or hiding,  leaving construction projects abandoned.

Who’s Affected

Charlotte’s construction workforce is heavily Latino, many undocumented or mixed-status. Entire job sites are empty,  no drills, no cement trucks, no crews. Business owners report major financial losses as projects stall and labor evaporates overnight.

How Aggressive the Raids Are

Agents have made arrests at commercial and residential sites, barbershops, and even people walking on the street. In some footage, workers sprint away on foot to avoid detention. The community says the raids are constant and unpredictable.

Why It Matters

Construction is one of Charlotte’s core economic engines. Losing its workforce has immediate ripple effects: stalled builds, rising costs, missed deadlines, and fear spreading across the region. Even workers with legal status are staying home out of caution.

The Bottom Line

Charlotte’s construction sector is collapsing under the weight of ICE raids,  and the city is seeing in real time how quickly an industry shuts down when its labor force disappears.