CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Federal Border Patrol agents detained 81 people in immigrant neighborhoods across the Charlotte, North Carolina, area Saturday, the first day of an operation that has already drawn significant criticism over its aggressive tactics.

An immigrant rights group said it was the largest single-day tally for immigrant arrests in the state’s recent history.

The operation has startled people in one of the fastest growing cities in the country, one whose growth in recent years has been spurred by international migration, especially from Latin America. The Border Patrol agents fanned out across immigrant neighborhoods once again Sunday, prompting many businesses that cater to immigrants to close for now.

A flea market that is typically filled with Hispanic vendors was canceled th

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