Federal agents initiated operations in New Orleans on Wednesday as part of the Trump administration’s nationwide immigration crackdown targeting immigrants accused of serious crimes, according to a U.S. Homeland Security official.
Masked agents were seen patrolling a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood using both marked and unmarked vehicles. Witnesses reported seeing agents apprehending individuals outside a home improvement store, a scenario that has become increasingly common in major cities.
Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol commander who oversaw enforcement actions in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, met with agents gathering in a Home Depot parking lot. Over 200 officials from Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are involved in the New Orleans operation, aiming to make numerous arrests over a span of at least 60 days.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the U.S. Homeland Security Department stated that the operation in New Orleans is focusing on immigrants previously released after being arrested for serious offenses such as home invasion, armed robbery, and rape.
This crackdown, part of President Trump’s aggressive deportation strategy, has been met with protests and legal challenges across the country. The New Orleans operation, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” follows a trend of region-specific operation names, with planning documents referring to it as “Swamp Sweep.”
Anticipated enforcement operations in Minnesota will target Somali immigrants, adding to the ongoing immigration actions causing fear and uncertainty within the immigrant community in New Orleans. Businesses in Hispanic neighborhoods have closed temporarily, with some displaying signs prohibiting federal immigration agents from entering.
Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana, aligning with the administration’s enforcement agenda, emphasized targeting criminal illegal aliens in the crackdown. He mentioned the involvement of National Guard members in the effort to combat crime, with expectations of their deployment before Christmas.
The immigration operation’s planning documents revealed intentions to conduct a prolonged crackdown in southeast Louisiana and extending into Mississippi, with a goal of arresting 5,000 individuals. Immigrant rights groups have raised concerns about new state laws impacting freedom of speech and legal rights during immigration-related arrests.
