Overview of AM Update — Charlotte Immigration Crackdown, Trump Eyes Venezuela, Major Update in Comey Case (11/18)
Host Megyn Kelly on SiriusXM delivers a fast-paced AM Update covering three dominant stories: the Trump administration’s surge of DHS/CBP agents into Charlotte (Operation Charlotte’s Web) and the local backlash; escalating U.S. pressure on Venezuela including a narco-terror designation and increased military presence with President Trump not ruling out intervention; and a potentially serious legal setback for the DOJ in the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey. The show also notes polling/ad-testing suggesting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s ad outperformed other Democratic messaging on a California redistricting measure, signaling growing political prominence.
Key stories
1) Operation Charlotte’s Web — federal immigration surge in Charlotte
- What happened: DHS/CBP began “Operation Charlotte’s Web” over the weekend; at least ~130 arrests in the first days (DHS claim). No public timeline for the operation.
- Government rationale: DHS cites arrests with criminal records (gang membership, aggravated assault, hit-and-run, DUIs, illegal re-entry, etc.) and says local leaders refused to cooperate with ICE. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called out thousands of “criminal legal aliens” in local jails and argued federal resources were being surged to make Charlotte safer.
- Local reaction: Large protests, high school walkouts, a popular Colombian bakery closed after owner reported agents tackling people; video circulated of a van steering toward agents and later a high-speed chase with firearms recovered.
- Local officials: North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) criticized federal agents for stoking fear and dividing the community. Charlotte-Mecklenburg reaffirmed policy of not assisting federal immigration ops, saying CBP actions cause fear and uncertainty.
- Federal defense: CBP advisors (Ron Vitello) defended the operation as targeting the “worst of the worst.” Former acting ICE director Tom Homan previously promised increased enforcement in sanctuary cities.
- Context: Charlotte drew national attention after a high-profile transit murder by a repeat offender (not related to this operation), fueling arguments about public safety and law enforcement failures.
2) Trump, Venezuela, and narco-terror actions
- New designation: State Dept. intends to designate the Cartel de los Solis as a foreign terrorist organization (effective Nov. 24), allowing asset freezes and criminalizing material support.
- U.S. military posture: USS Gerald R. Ford and at least seven other warships are off the coast; administration says ~20 deadly strikes since September killed ~80 people tied to narco-terrorist drug vessels, mostly originating from Venezuela.
- Accusations: U.S. officials portray the cartel as a criminal network operating inside Venezuela and allege Maduro’s involvement; Maduro denies it.
- Trump’s stance: He declined to rule out direct military intervention, saying “I don’t rule out anything,” while also saying he might speak with Maduro — and that he’s “made up his mind” on the issue. The Trump admin doubled a reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.
- Broader angle: Friction with Venezuela tied to migration flows to the U.S., U.S. concerns about narco-state activity, and geopolitical alignment of Venezuela with countries like China and Russia.
3) Major update in the DOJ case against James Comey
- Charges: Comey is charged with obstruction of Congress and making false statements related to his 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee testimony about an alleged anonymous FBI source in news reporting. Trial is set for January.
- Ruling: Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered the government to turn over grand jury transcripts and related materials to Comey’s defense, citing 11 issues and “a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps.”
- Key problems cited by the judge:
- Possible overreach in reuse of materials seized years earlier from Comey’s friend/former attorney Daniel Richman.
- Potential failure to screen and withhold privileged Comey-Richman communications.
- An FBI agent who testified had recently viewed potentially privileged communications — characterized as “highly irregular.”
- Alleged misstatements to the grand jury that could have affected juror perceptions of constitutional rights.
- Reactions and next steps:
- Prosecutors called the ruling mistaken and asked for a stay. U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff granted a temporary stay, set a deadline for the government to file objections by Wednesday and Comey’s response by Friday.
- If Comey gets the materials, his team may move to dismiss the case outright. Comey denies wrongdoing.
- Public commentary from conservative legal advocates criticized the judge as partisan; prosecutors say he misinterpreted facts.
4) Political note — AOC ad effectiveness and positioning
- Finding: Democratic super PAC Future Forward tested 16 ads supporting California’s Prop 50 (redistricting reform). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s ad reportedly increased support by >5 percentage points and outperformed other messages, including one from Barack Obama.
- Implication: Axios reports AOC is staffing up and being positioned as a potential candidate for higher office (Senate or presidential run), and is emerging as a serious contender in Democratic primary-level discussions — possibly rivaling Gavin Newsom in some polling contexts.
Notable quotes
- DHS Assistant Sec. Tricia McLaughlin: “Charlotte’s a beautiful city, but in this case, its leadership has absolutely failed it.”
- President Trump on Venezuela: “No, I don’t rule out that. I don’t rule out anything. We just have to take care of Venezuela.”
- Gov. Josh Stein: Federal agent tactics “are doing the exact opposite in Charlotte. … This is not making us safer. It’s stoking fear and dividing our community.”
- Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick (summary): Identified “a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in DOJ handling.
Main takeaways and implications
- Federal vs. local tension: The Charlotte operation highlights a pronounced clash between the Biden-era local policies (noncooperation) and Trump administration enforcement priorities — likely to spur legal, political, and community fallout and set a template for similar operations in other “sanctuary” cities.
- Venezuela escalation risk: The narco-terror designation, stepped-up strikes, carrier presence, and Trump’s open stance on military options raise the prospect of heightened confrontation or further coercive measures against Maduro’s regime.
- Comey prosecution vulnerable: A rare magistrate ruling criticizing DOJ procedure and ordering grand jury disclosures could materially weaken the government’s position; the outcome may hinge on appellate rulings and whether disclosures prompt dismissal.
- AOC’s rising influence: Messaging that connects policy technicalities (like redistricting) to tangible voter impacts can be unusually effective; AOC’s media/polling strength may translate into a more prominent 2028 position.
What to watch next
- Further developments in Charlotte: total arrests, official timeline for the operation, any federal-local legal challenges, and broader spillover to other cities.
- Venezuela: the formal FTO designation on Nov. 24, U.S. military movements and strikes, and any diplomatic or covert moves toward Maduro.
- Comey case procedural battles: government objections to the magistrate order, whether grand jury materials will be released, and any motions to dismiss ahead of the January trial.
- AOC/political moves: staffing announcements, fundraising/endorsement patterns, and how her messaging tests in other states/issues ahead of 2028.
Quick context notes
- Arrest counts and details are DHS/CBP statements and disputed by local officials and community groups.
- The Comey indictment was filed quickly after the U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan took office (statute of limitations timing noted in coverage).
- Prop 50 (California) passed; the ad-testing was conducted post-campaign by a Democratic super PAC.
Sources cited in the segment: DHS/CBP statements, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, CBS/CNN/Fox reporting referenced by the host, State Department announcement about the FTO designation, and Axios reporting on Future Forward’s ad tests.