A man charged in connection with the death of a 15‑year‑old girl in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been taken into federal custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency said.
Julio Cesar Xocop-Vicente, a Guatemalan national, allegedly ran a stop sign in a residential neighborhood and struck Amber Paris, who was hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma on November 24, 2025, according to law enforcement. She passed away on December 18.
Why It Matters
The arrest reflects a pattern of increased enforcement by federal agents as the Trump administration has pushed forward with efforts targeting both migrants without legal status and individuals with prior criminal convictions. The operation that led to Xocop-Vicente's arrest, Operation Charlotte's Web, launched in late 2025 and has resulted in more than 1,300 arrests across North Carolina, according to ICE.
What To Know
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), officers responded at approximately 5:44 p.m. to a hit-and-run in the 3500 block of Driftwood Drive in Charlotte's Eastway Division. Investigators said a 2011 Dodge Caliber traveling north struck a bicycle at the intersection of Driftwood Drive and Winterfield Place, ejecting the rider, and the driver fled the scene on foot.
Police identified Xocop-Vicente as the driver and arrested him on November 25, 2025. He was charged with felony hit and run, reckless driving, and driving without an operator's license, police said.
Paris was riding her e-bike in the neighborhood when a car struck her, her family shared in a GoFundMe post. A neighbor who witnessed the accident called an ambulance and she was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
CMPD said detectives from the Major Crash Investigation Unit, the DWI Task Force, and Crime Scene Search assisted in the investigation, which remains under review with the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office to determine whether additional charges will be filed.
ICE said in a press release on January 20 that Xocop-Vicente was released on bond by local authorities before the agency was able to file an immigration detainer. The agency also said the charge of driving without a license was dismissed on December 2, 2025, while the victim remained hospitalized.
ICE Fugitive Operations arrested Xocop-Vicente on January 12, 2026, during a targeted enforcement operation, according to a news release.
The agency said Xocop-Vicente has prior arrests, including a 2023 conviction for driving under the influence and driving without a license, and a previous arrest for assault.
"My heart is with Amber's family -- and although nothing can ease the pain of losing a child, ICE will continue arresting and removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from North Carolina and across the country," ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a press release.
ICE has long cited local sanctuary policies as a complicating factor, noting that restrictions on cooperation between local law enforcement and federal authorities can delay or prevent the agency from filing immigration detainers, which are requests to hold individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully until federal custody can be assumed.
Supporters of local sanctuary policies say the measures are intended to build trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement. By limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, local officials aim to encourage residents to report crimes, assist in investigations, and access city services without fear of deportation, which they argue can improve public safety and community relations.
What People Are Saying
ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a press release: "Sanctuary policies have real consequences, and this is one of them. It's heartbreaking, but this tragedy was preventable. ICE isn't waiting for another tragedy to take action; we are out on the streets every day to arrest and remove public safety threats so this doesn't happen to another child."
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department wrote in a press release on December 20: "Detectives will be working with the District Attorney's Office to determine further charges for Mr. Xocop-Vicente."
The family wrote in a post on GoFundMe: "Amber was a beautiful soul so kind and loving to every person she knew."
What Happens Next
Xocop-Vicente will remain in ICE custody and is awaiting removal proceedings, the agency said.