A new report from the Brookings Institution estimates that increased immigration enforcement in the Charlotte area cost the region nearly 10,000 jobs during the first half of 2025.
Researchers analyzed employment and immigration enforcement data across U.S. cities and identified Charlotte as one of 86 metro areas that experienced a significant surge in ICE arrests.
According to the report, average monthly ICE arrests in the Charlotte region increased from about 31 in 2024 to 160 after March 2025, a more than 400% increase.
Brookings estimates the Charlotte region lost about 9,800 jobs as a result of that enforcement surge. The report says those impacts were felt by both immigrants and U.S.-born workers.
The report argues that immigration enforcement can reduce employment not only through deportations, but also by disrupting local businesses, creating labor shortages and reducing consumer spending.
Researchers say fear of enforcement can cause people to stay home, avoid work and spend less money in their communities.
