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\"Immigrants make America great\" sign
\"Immigrants make America great\" sign
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NCSU | Culture > News

Beyond the Fear: A scope to supporting immigrant families in Charlotte and Raleigh

Alexandra Byrne Student Contributor, North Carolina State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The impact of recent ICE operations goes far beyond arrests, these raids have created a climate of fear and terror. Non-criminal individuals and families are being separated, which leads to emotional trauma, economic distress, and family separation.

Increased stress, fear, anxiety for adults and children, often leads to missing school, work, or medical appointments for reasons to believe they are not safe to be in public. Then, economic distress follows from unlawful raids in public. Parents being detained, the primary wage-earners for families, makes it extremely difficult to pay bills, rent, and purchase food. Many detained immigrants did not have criminal records and were targeted while commuting to or from work. Racial profiling of many people of color are becoming, and are causing families to navigate around these operations just to place food on the table for their children. Lastly, ICE raids have parents being detained, leaving U.S. citizen children and legal resident spouses to be suddenly without support and aid.

The most crucial needs following recent raids in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC are legal representation, financial assistance, and basic needs. The following are aids to support immigrant families during this time:

  1. Many immigrants’ facing deportation cannot afford legal support. Pro-bono or low-cost legal aid is essential to help them understand their rights and fight for their legal cases. Organizations such as The Latin American Coalition(704-531-3848, fsn.mylac.org), Carolina Migrant network, NC Justice Center-Immigrant and refugee rights Project (919-856-2570), and Duke Law Immigrant Rights clinic. All organizations provide legal assistance for immigrants.
  2. Food and housing aid. Direct financial assistance for immigrants can be found through community organizations that collect funds to pay for rent, utilities, and bonds. These are the most flexible and urgent forms of aid. Food banks and pantries help to support local immigrant communities. For example, some Charlotte supermarkets, such as Compare Foods. Have offered free delivery of groceries to help those afraid to leave their homes. More local resources are available such as House of Mercy (triangle area) and Community health centers are giving action and directly supporting affected families.
  3. Community. Creating a community based on welcome and resistance is one of the most powerful forms of aid during this horrific times. Know your rights, groups like Siembra NC and the Latin American Coalition offer training on what to do if ICe or CBP agents approach your home or vehicle, or work. Sharing this knowledge to anyone who could be affected if vital.
  4. Neighborhood patrols. Some communities are organizing to observe and document ICE activity, giving early warning to neighbors.

The response to this crisis is not to stand aside. But to stand up and form a community. Find your role. Whether as a donor, volunteer, or an informed neighbor, and help build the needed support that ensures no family in Charlotte or Raleigh has to face this fear alone, because would you?

Alexandra Byrne

NCSU '27

Alexandra Byrne is a Editor-In-Chief of Her Campus at North Carolina State University. This is her third year with Her Campus as of 2025. As the Editor-in-Chief, I confidently lead all chapter writers and editors with a touch of flair. I craft our chapter’s campus-specific editorial strategy, supported by HCHQ, with the ultimate goal of driving traffic to the fabulous articles published by my team. I meticulously top edit and serve as the final eyes on all chapter editorial content, ensuring our editorial calendar is approved and that content expectations and guidelines are met with style and precision.
Other than contributing to Her Campus, Alexandra was an active member of her high school's student government. Establishing leadership, community service events, and understanding the importance of equity in governing roles. She so then became an active member of her school's Genders and Sexualities Alliance club, in which greater expanded her support for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as hosting school fundraiser events for her local community. Alexandra has a huge green thumb. While being a part of her school's Earth Club, her love mother nature grew. She has contributed to the funds and support of her high school's building of a greenhouse, and so then helped her local community understand the whole heartly importance of sustainability. Alexandra is a Junior at NC State University with the intended major of Business Administration. In the next years, she aims to travel as much as possible, and love the career planned for her in the near future.
Now here is a little more insight of who Alexandra really is about. Alexandra was born and raised in Concord, North Carolina. She is the oldest of three daughters, so it is safe to say she knows a thing or two about how to share with others. She absolutely loves to go on a spree at any local thrift store among her radius, sipping on iced coffee, reading romance books, and sharing laughs with her close friends. Alexandra is a heavy music listener. She enjoys relating to the entirely of Taylor Swifts and Phoebe Bridgers discography, attending any underground concert she can find, and making thoughtful playlists for her friends.