ICE Airport Deployments Raise Questions About Asheville Regional's Future

Mayor Esther Manheimer posted a warning on Facebook on Nov. 14 that Asheville could be next: "We have learned that Asheville may be a targeted city." The declaration, which came days after Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden announced Charlotte was expecting U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, set off a week of city council action, a public demonstration at Pack Square Park, and an unanswered question that has only grown more urgent since: will federal immigration agents show up at Asheville Regional Airport?

ICE agents were deployed to 14 airports to help manage security lines amid a partial government shutdown, a move that has put the question of AVL's status squarely before Buncombe County residents. AVL served more than 2.24 million passengers in 2025, making it the primary air gateway for western North Carolina — and a facility whose atmosphere travelers pay close attention to.

Back in November, local officials moved quickly after Charlotte's CBP announcement triggered alarm across the state. Border czar Tom Homan confirmed ICE agents would be deployed to airports, a posture that Governor Josh Stein addressed in a statement quoted in part: "As this situation develops, I will continue to stay in touch with local and state officials to keep people safe, respect the rule of law, and support our people." Manheimer and Stein's statements, as reported by WLOS, were followed by direct action from the city council.

Council member Bo Hess emailed a statement to News 13 saying: "I have reached out to leadership at the Department of Homeland Security to express concern about sending ICE into our city and to seek clarity about their intentions. Asheville is a welcoming community, and we will defend the trust we've built with our residents." At the time, Hess also told reporters that "at this moment, there haven't been any reports of ICE or Border Patrol in Asheville" — though that acknowledgment of uncertainty did little to quiet public concern.

On Nov. 16, a crowd gathered at Pack Square Park for the "Asheville ICE Out" demonstration. Two days later, Mayor Manheimer read a joint statement from the City of Asheville and Buncombe County at the Nov. 18 council meeting, addressing the possibility of seeing ICE and CBP agents in the community. Resident Tobey Pierce, who attended that meeting, did not hold back: "I think it's about time that small towns throughout the country stood up to this kind of bullying and kind of fascism that's going on now."

Council member Kim Roney was among those who proposed a resolution, reported by News 13 on Nov. 17, that would prohibit city-owned facilities, lots, and parks from being used as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for civil immigration enforcement. The resolution's sponsors and vote timeline had not been publicly confirmed as of the reporting period.

The federal pressure on Buncombe County predates the airport deployment question. The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office confirmed ICE officers arrested Jediael Amaya-Sanchez, 46, outside the Buncombe County Courthouse in a case that drew its own wave of concern. Sheriff Quintin Miller's attorney said the office "did not receive prior notification from ICE that they were there to detain that individual" and that "Sheriff Miller does have safety concerns about how that apprehension transpired near the courthouse." DHS also removed a "sanctuary jurisdiction" list that had included Buncombe County, with the criteria for that designation being questioned.

TSA officers at AVL are working without pay during the partial federal government shutdown, currently with no end date, adding another layer of uncertainty for travelers passing through the airport. ICE agents are not currently trained to operate X-ray screening machines; their role is limited to covering exits and monitoring passenger flow through terminal areas.

No confirmed deployment of ICE or CBP agents to AVL had been announced as of this reporting. DHS has not publicly responded to Hess's outreach, and airport authority officials have not issued a statement on whether they have received any federal requests regarding use of airport facilities. The silence from Washington, combined with active deployments elsewhere, leaves AVL's future role in the federal enforcement apparatus unresolved.