RALEIGH, N.C. (CN) - U.S. Border Patrol expanded their North Carolina operations Tuesday, sending agents north to the state's capital after they arrived in Charlotte and made over 100 arrests over the weekend.

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell confirmed during a city council meeting Tuesday afternoon that federal border patrol agents have arrived in Raleigh and in the nearby city of Durham, and encouraged residents to contact local police if they feel unsafe.  

In a statement released Monday evening, Cowell said that the local police department is not involved in immigration enforcement. North Carolina, which borders Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina, is about 170 miles from the closest federal border.  

"As the capital city, it is important to us that everyone who lives, works, plays and learns in Raleigh feels safe," Cowell said, saying that crime is down year-over-year. 

Governor Josh Stein said Monday evening that he was aware of reports that border patrol would be coming to the capital city. It is unknown how long the operation will last. 

"Once again, I call on federal agents to target violent criminals, not neighbors walking down the street, going to church, or putting up Christmas decorations," he said. "Stop targeting people simply going about their lives because of the color of their skin, as you are doing in Charlotte." 

Hundreds of Raleigh residents protested against the border patrol operations in Charlotte over the weekend, marching through downtown Saturday.

Border patrol agents arrived in Charlotte Saturday morning after spending two months in Chicago conducting "Operation Midway Blitz." In Chicago, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was lambasted by a federal judge for tear gassing residential neighborhoods. Agents are expected to be deployed to New Orleans soon, and the city is preparing for increased immigration enforcement.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Charlotte's operation, dubbed "Operation Charlotte's Web" responded to unlawful immigration and sanctuary policies. Over 130 immigrants were arrested, Homeland Security said, including 44 people who had criminal records. 

"There is absolutely no excuse to continue allowing criminal illegal aliens to terrorize our American communities," a Homeland Security spokesperson said Saturday. "These are violent assailants, gang members, and repeat offenders who have zero regard for the rule of law in our country. They are here illegally and should never have been here in the first place. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our communities once and for all."

Nearly 1,400 immigration detainers across the state have not been honored, Homeland Security said. The state's Republican-controlled General Assembly has engaged in a yearslong struggle with sheriffs in the state's major cities, who have contended that working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement damages the public's trust in law enforcement. 

After the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office in Charlotte declined to notify ICE before suspects were released, lawmakers passed a bill requiring state law enforcement agencies to perform immigration enforcement functions.

These agencies would determine the citizenship of people in their custody, and contact ICE if they've detained an unlawful resident. The measure passed both chambers but was vetoed by Stein, a Democrat, and the chambers have yet to take it up for a veto override vote. 

"Border Patrol is in Charlotte because Sheriff McFadden refused to do his job," North Carolina Speaker of the House Destin Hall said Monday, in reference to Charlotte's sheriff. "His sanctuary policies blocked hundreds of ICE detainers and pushed criminal illegal aliens right back onto the streets. They're stepping in to clean up his mess and restore safety to the city."

Charlotte has received national attention after the death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was stabbed on the city's light rail in August. Several top Trump administration officials blamed Zarutska's death on Democratic policies, which they called "soft-on-crime." 

Republican leadership in the state legislature passed legislation in September in response to her death, increasing pretrial release standards for violent offenders and expanding sentencing protection. Despite the controversy, the city's democratic Mayor, Vi Lyles, won her reelection campaign in November. The city hasn't elected a Republican mayor since the 2000s. 

Source: Courthouse News Service