Apparent immigration arrests raise concern, questions in Durham neighborhood
Alisa Cullison was out walking her dog at 7:30 a.m. Thursday when she said she saw three vehicles 'casing' a section of her north Durham neighborhood. One was a Nissan with tinted windows, another a pickup with Georgia plates.
They seemed out of place in Northgate Park, an older middle-class neighborhood of modest homes. Her suspicions were confirmed two hours later, when the vehicles converged on a car with two of her neighbors, both young men from India.
It was a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid, said Kelly Morales, a co-director of Siembra NC, an immigrant worker organizing group that has been advising immigrants and others how to respond to federal agents. She, Cullison and others spoke about the incident at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Another neighbor, Emily Ingebretsen, said she saw a dozen men, in tactical gear and wearing masks, exit the vehicles and take the young men along with a third Indian native from their home and drive away. They said little, but one of them wore a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol badge, she said.
'Why are you wearing that mask, I can't see your face, why aren't you identifying yourself?' Ingebretsen said she asked one of them. 'And he said, 'If you were doing something in your community you might want to cover your face too.' To which I said, 'There's nothing that I would do in my community where I would ever hide my identity.''
None of the speakers at the conference would identify the men, saying they were concerned for other family members in the neighborhood. They do not know why the men were arrested, if the officers had a judicial warrant, or where the men were taken, they said.
'We know that the goal of this as Tom Homan and Stephen Miller have both said is to inspire people to self deport by creating an environment of panic and chaos,' said Nikki Marin Baena, Siembra's other co-director. Homan was appointed 'Border Czar' by President Donald Trump and Miller is Trump's homeland security adviser.
ICE didn't respond late Thursday afternoon to questions about who the men were, why they were taken into custody and where they were taken.
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams said no authorities provided information to him before or after what happened.
'I'm looking into it,' he said by phone Thursday evening. 'I'm in discovery mode myself right now.'
Siembra NC says it has trained more than 400 people to be 'ICE Watch verifiers' in nine counties over the last two months. It has two trainings scheduled in the next two weeks, in Durham on Feb. 22 and in Greensboro on Feb. 27.
Trump made illegal immigration a top issue during the campaign and has promised to purge the country of millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. without proper authorization. Critics say the president's plans will lead to overly aggressive tactics across the country that will create fear and chaos in neighborhoods, schools and workplaces.
Cullison and Ingebretsen, who have been trained by Siembra, said what they saw Thursday morning made them feel less safe in their neighborhood.
'It does scare me, it felt like those offices were acting outside the bounds of law,' Ingebretsen said.
In the Spotlight designates ongoing topics of high interest that are driven by The News & Observer's focus on accountability reporting.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Driver in stolen car crashes into 4 vehicles evading CHP, gun recovered
(KRON) – A loaded rifle was found in a stolen Nissan last week, according to the California Highway Patrol. At around 4:21 p.m. on May 31, CHP Oakland Division pulled over a gray Nissan Altima without license plates on Interstate 80 westbound near Ashby Avenue. Authorities said the driver stopped and parked, but then accelerated into traffic and crashed into four vehicles. Man shot and killed in San Jose shooting After colliding with multiple vehicles, the driver fled the scene, crossing all the lanes, CHP said. The driver was not located; however, a 14-year-old passenger was detained at the scene. A loaded AK-style rifle was found in the car, according to CHP. Authorities' investigation revealed that the Nissan was stolen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
FBI Offers Reward for Info Leading to Indigenous Teen Missing for 8 Months
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A combined $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the discovery of 13-year-old Sa'Wade Birdinground who vanished from her grandparents' Montana home last October. The FBI's Salt Lake City Field Office offered a $5,000 award that was matched by the executive branch of the Crow Tribe of which Birdinground is a part of. Following a Friday press conference, members of the community held a walk and presentation of red balloons at Little Big Horn College, symbolizing collective hope and continued efforts to bring Birdinground home, Yellowstone Public Radio Reported. Why It Matters The teenager's disappearance has drawn attention to the broader crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people in the United States, particularly in Montana and other states with significant tribal communities. Indigenous women make up a disproportionate majority of missing and murdered women in the U.S., with the murder rate 10 times higher for women living on reservations, according to the organization Native Hope. Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women, the organization added. The Department of Justice's (DOJ) "Operation Not Forgotten" reflects a national push to boost investigative resources and address longstanding disparities in response to cases involving Indigenous individuals. What To Know Birdinground was last seen at her grandparents' residence on the Crow Indian Reservation in Garryowen, Montana, on the night of October 6, 2024. Since then, she has not been heard from. The reservation sits about 65 miles southeast of Billings and is near the former site of Sitting Bull's camp, on Garryowen bend of the Little Bighorn River, according to the city's website. The area was a traditional summer hunting campsite for many Plains Indian tribe and was the site of one of the largest Indian gatherings ever recorded in North America. When last seen, the 13-year-old was approximately 5'4" to 5'5" tall, weighing 130–140 pounds, with brown eyes, curly brown hair. She is also known to wear an elk tooth necklace. On the night she disappeared, she wore a black hoodie with mushrooms, an anime T-shirt, basketball shorts, purple slip-on Skechers and may have also carried a black and purple Adidas backpack, the FBI's release said. Early searches by the FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, local law enforcement, the community, and the Montana National Guard have led to no confirmed sightings or significant leads, according to a report from local news station KTVQ. Federal and tribal authorities described Birdinground's case as exceptional due to her age and the circumstances and highlighted the ongoing struggle of Indigenous communities where dozens of members are reported missing each year. So far this year, the FBI doubled the number of special agents assigned to investigate cases on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribal nations. Data from the Crow Tribe showed that while about 78 missing persons are reported annually, most cases are soon resolved. Sa'Wade Birdinground, 13, has been missing from the Crow Indian Reservation since October of 2024. Sa'Wade Birdinground, 13, has been missing from the Crow Indian Reservation since October of 2024. FBI What People Are Saying Mehtab Syed, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office that covers Montana, Utah, and Idaho, said during Friday's press conference: "Eight months is an incomprehensible amount of time for any family to be without their child. For eight months, Sa'wade's family has had to know life without her." He added: "Sa'Wade is not forgotten. She matters, and we are doing anything in our power to bring her home." Wade Birdinground, Sa'Wade's father, said during the press conference: "It's been a whole different life. To be honest, it's been horrible. I just want to thank the FBI and the Crow Tribe and everybody else. Thanks for helping me out and continue to search for Sa'Wade." Frank Whiteclay, Crow Tribal Chairman, said during the press conference: "We wanted to match the FBI's award so we can show not only the family, but the community, that my administration is here for the community to assist whenever a crisis comes ahead." What Happens Next? Federal, tribal, and local agencies are continuing the active investigation, seeking public tips and following all available leads. The FBI urged the public to come forward with any information and have established a dedicated tip line for Sa'Wade Birdinground at the Salt Lake City Field Office (801-579-6195). Tips can also be submitted online at Community leaders also urged the public to remain vigilant and share information widely on social media.


Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
FBI Working With India to Disrupt Chinese Fentanyl Network—Kash Patel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel told podcaster Joe Rogan during a Friday episode that the agency is working with the Indian government to dismantle global fentanyl networks, which he said originate in China. Newsweek has reached out to the FBI's press office, the Indian Government's Ministry of External Affairs, and the Chinese Embassy in Washington for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters President Donald Trump has made combating the opioid crisis, particularly the influx of illicitfentanyl, a central focus of his administration's policies. Earlier this year, to address the sources of fentanyl trafficking, Trump imposed tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada. There are some legitimate medical uses for fentanyl. The opioid crisis has far-reaching impacts across the country. In 2024, the United States witnessed a significant decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths, dropping from 110,037 in 2023 to 80,391 in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rogan, host of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, is one of the most-listened-to media figures, drawing an audience of roughly 11 million listeners. What To Know Patel told Rogan that when he joined the bureau, he launched a "massive enterprise" to target companies in China that manufacture "fentanyl precursors." He said that while China may not produce the drug in its final form, it supplies the key ingredients used to make fentanyl, calling the country the "root of the problem." The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which provides recommendations to Congress, stated in an August 2021 finding that "China remains the primary country of origin for illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States." Patel said during the interview with Rogan that the country has been shipping the precursors "to places like India—and I'm also doing operations in India—and they're having the Mexican cartels now make this fentanyl down in Mexico." In March, the Chinese government published a white paper laying out its purported efforts to crack down on fentanyl trade and hit back at U.S. criticism as Washington imposed tariffs over the issue. "I literally just got off the phone with the Indian government, I said: 'I need your help. This stuff's coming into your country and then they're moving it from your country because India's not consuming fentanyl...I need you and your help,'" the FBI director told Rogan. He explained the FBI is "working with the heads of their [the Indian] government, law enforcement authorities to say, 'We're going to find these companies that buy it and we're going to shut them down. We're going to sanction them; we're going to arrest them where we can. We're going to indict them in America if we can. We're going to indict them in India if we can.'" He reiterated that "this is a global problem." Patel said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) isn't partaking in the trade for profitability reasons, but rather, "in my opinion, the CCP have used it as a directed approach because we are their their long-term game is how do I, in my opinion, kneecap the United States of America, our largest adversary?" suggesting that the drug allows them to "take out generations of young men and women." Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been high over a slew of issues, including tariff policies and national security issues. In May, federal authorities arrested 16 individuals and seized over 400 kilograms of the drug in the largest fentanyl bust in Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) history. FBI Director Kash Patel is seen in Washington on May 8. FBI Director Kash Patel is seen in Washington on May 8. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana What People Are Saying U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in mid-May: "I have a personal stake in this. There are two very close friends [who] lost children to this terrible scourge. Hundreds of thousands of Americans die every year. And I think that we saw here in Geneva the Chinese are now serious about assisting the U.S. in stopping the flow of precursor drugs." A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said in March: "Facts speak louder than words. The U.S. is spreading all kinds of false information on the fentanyl issue, smearing and scapegoating China, and hiking tariffs on Chinese imports over fentanyl." President Donald Trump wrote in an April 24 Truth Social post: "...By the way, Fentanyl continues to pour into our Country from China, through Mexico and Canada, killing hundreds of thousands of our people, and it better stop, NOW!" What Happens Next? It is unclear what the partnership looks like, but according to Patel it is ongoing.