Charlotte baker recounts tense exchange with former Border Patrol chief

Manolo Bentancur, owner of a Charlotte bakery, said he confronted former Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino on Sunday, telling him he was not welcome on his private property. Bentancur cited widespread fear of ICE and federal immigration enforcement. The encounter comes months after a major immigration sweep that began in the bakery's parking lot.

The confrontation occurred at Bentancur’s bakery, where he told the former Border Patrol chief he was not welcome on the private property. Bentancur explained his actions by pointing to widespread fear among immigrants regarding ICE and federal enforcement actions. This tension follows a larger immigration operation months earlier that began in the bakery’s parking lot, though details of that sweep are not provided. The exchange highlights how local businesses can become flashpoints in the broader national debate over immigration policy, especially in communities where enforcement actions have occurred nearby.