Vance Promises Answers to Tillis' Questions on Operation Charlotte's Web

Vice President JD Vance assures North Carolina senator that new Homeland Security leadership will respond to his concerns about immigration enforcement operation.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:21pm

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Vice President JD Vance told a crowd in Rocky Mount, North Carolina that Sen. Thom Tillis' questions about Operation Charlotte's Web, an immigration enforcement operation in Charlotte, will be answered by the new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. Vance linked the delay in responding to Tillis to recent turnover at DHS, including the demotion of former Secretary Kristi Noem and the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her.

Why it matters

The operation in Charlotte that reportedly detained U.S. citizens has raised concerns about immigration enforcement tactics and their impact on local communities. Tillis, a Republican senator, has pressed the Biden administration for answers, highlighting partisan divides over immigration policy.

The details

Operation Charlotte's Web was an immigration enforcement operation conducted in Charlotte, North Carolina last November that targeted immigrants. Sen. Thom Tillis sent a four-page letter to the Department of Homeland Security in February asking about the operation, including whether U.S. citizens were detained. Tillis has not received a response from DHS, prompting him to criticize former Secretary Kristi Noem as "incompetent" during a Senate hearing.

  • Operation Charlotte's Web began in November 2025.
  • Tillis sent his letter to DHS in February 2026.
  • Tillis questioned Noem about the operation during a Senate hearing on March 3, 2026.

The players

Thom Tillis

A Republican senator from North Carolina who has pressed the Biden administration for answers about Operation Charlotte's Web and its impact on U.S. citizens.

JD Vance

The current Vice President of the United States, who spoke to a crowd in North Carolina and promised that the new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security will respond to Tillis' questions.

Kristi Noem

The former Secretary of Homeland Security, who was criticized by Tillis during a Senate hearing for her handling of the operation in Charlotte.

Markwayne Mullin

The senator nominated by President Trump to replace Noem as the new Secretary of Homeland Security.

Roy Cooper

The former Democratic governor of North Carolina, whom Republicans have criticized for being "soft on crime" in relation to the death of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian immigrant, in Charlotte.

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What they’re saying

“Look, Operation Charlotte's Web is fundamentally an operation to try to make our country safe by getting violent criminals off the streets of the United States of America.”

— JD Vance, Vice President (The Charlotte Observer)

“What I do promise Thom is that the new leadership in DHS is going to get a response to his questions, but we're going to keep on using the Department of Homeland Security to do the very simple thing of making the homeland more secure.”

— JD Vance, Vice President (The Charlotte Observer)

What’s next

The new Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, is expected to provide a response to Sen. Tillis' questions about Operation Charlotte's Web in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the ongoing partisan tensions over immigration enforcement and its impact on local communities. While the Biden administration defends operations like Charlotte's Web as necessary for public safety, critics argue the tactics have gone too far and violated the rights of U.S. citizens.