NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In an ambitious new immigration enforcement initiative, officials from the Trump administration are targeting New Orleans with a goal of making 5,000 arrests, concentrating on individuals identified as violent offenders. However, local leaders have expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of such a target in a city with a relatively small immigrant population.
The operation would exceed the arrest numbers from a similar enforcement blitz earlier this fall in Chicago, where the immigrant demographic is notably larger. New Orleans City Council President J.P. Morrell voiced concerns, stating, There is no rational basis that a sweep of New Orleans, or the surrounding parishes, would ever yield anywhere near 5,000 criminals.\
Despite the administration’s plans, census statistics indicate that New Orleans has a foreign-born population of approximately 100,000, with under 60% being non-U.S. citizens. Critics argue that the link between illegal immigration and violent crime is overstated, as Morrell pointedly noted the significant decrease in overall crime rates in the city.
As federal agents, identifiable by marked vehicles, began operations across New Orleans, the community reacted with a surge of messages and footage detailing the arrests occurring in local neighborhoods. Activist Alejandra Vasquez described the emotional toll: My heart is so broken. They are taking our working people, not the criminals they claim to target.\
The crackdown, dubbed ‘Catahoula Crunch,’ involves hundreds of agents from various federal agencies in a two-month operation stretching into Mississippi. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, hailing from Louisiana, supports the initiative, contending that Democratic policies have failed to protect communities.
Resistance to the operation has materialized, evident by protests that erupted during city council meetings. Demonstrators were removed for chanting against the crackdown, highlighting the community's opposition to the measures being imposed.
Despite Homeland Security's assurances that they target violent criminals, immigrant rights groups have voiced fears that current operations will indiscriminately sweep up non-violent individuals. Local council member Lesli Harris argued that federal agents might detain parents, teenagers, and workers, thereby destabilizing families and the local economy.
Statistics from similar operations in cities like Chicago reveal a concerning trend where a significant percentage of detainees do not have prior criminal records. Full details of arrests made during New Orleans efforts remain undisclosed as the crackdown unfolds.
As concerns grow, many in the New Orleans community are left questioning the impact of such a sweeping operation on the cultural fabric and safety of their neighborhoods.
