By Jasper Ward

(Reuters) -The Trump administration will deploy federal immigration agents to Charlotte, North Carolina, as soon as Saturday or the beginning of next week, the local sheriff said on Thursday, in what would mark an expansion of the Republican president’s immigration crackdown in cities led by Democrats.

President Donald Trump has focused on ramping up immigration arrests as part of his mass deportation program, with major pushes in recent months in Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Democrats and some residents say they have used excessive force, including deploying tear gas in busy urban areas. The White House says its immigration enforcement is focused on anti-crime efforts.

In a statement, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden said he was informed by two

See Full Page