By the time you read this, the U.S. Border Patrol is expected to be in Charlotte, must to the surprise of city and county officials who say they were “blindsided” by the news. The Border Patrol agents will be targeting undocumented immigrants, according to Greg Bovino, an agent who most recently led the group’s efforts in Chicago.

The first reported sighting was on South Boulevard, near Baleada Bar and Grill. WCNC Charlotte spoke with a witness who had an encounter with a masked agent who said the moment was tense. Willy Aceituno was getting breakfast when he realized that immigration officers were chasing after two people.

Reports have emerged of federal agents arresting U.S. citizens amid the ongoing immigration crackdown taking place in the city.

Community leaders and immigrant families protested federal agents’ presence in Charlotte as agents drove around the city taking people.

It is unclear how long the operation will last in North Carolina’s largest city, which has a growing immigrant population.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were seen in east Charlotte on Saturday morning, arresting at least one person. A protest is planned for 2 p.m. in uptown, as tensions rise over the deployment of federal agents to conduct immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte.

Federal agents have started making arrests Saturday as Border Patrol deployments began in the city, a shift the Department of Homeland Security said was intended to "ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed.

Willy Aceituno, a Honduran-born U.S. citizen, was stopped twice by Border Patrol agents in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Charlotte officials say federal agents may arrive within days, sparking concern among community groups and leaders as they await details on the planned operation.

But, teachers are still worried about the presence of Border Patrol affecting attendance and students’ mental well-being, one CMS educator from northern Mecklenburg County told The Observer. He requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.