Federal agents launch immigration enforcement operation in New Orleans

Federal agents launched a law enforcement operation in New Orleans, the Department of Homeland Security announced on Dec. 3, as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal immigration to another Democratic-led city.

The agency said in a statement that the mission, dubbed Operation Catahoula Crunch, will target "criminal illegal aliens roaming free thanks to sanctuary policies." Federal officials have not said how many agents will be sent to New Orleans or how long the operation will last.

The Trump administration has launched similar campaigns – often over the objection of local and state officials – in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and, most recently, Charlotte, North Carolina.

In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the New Orleans enforcement will focus on "violent criminals." President Donald Trump similarly said immigration agents will target "the worst of the worst" violent offenders.

Results from previous immigration enforcement efforts show that many of those swept up in recent operations have no criminal history. Of the more than 600 people arrested in a blitz in Chicago, only 16 had a criminal record, according to Justice Department records submitted in federal court.

The surge of federal resources comes as New Orleans is experiencing a drop in crime rates. According to city data, violent crimes – including murder, rape and aggravated assault – are down 7% from last year and 32% from 2022, when New Orleans had the highest homicide rate in the country.

Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, a close ally of Trump, said he supports the federal intervention.

"We welcome our federal partners," he said in a recent Fox News appearance, describing New Orleans as a "crime-ridden city."

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, a Democrat, said she was concerned by federal agents' actions in other cities and launched a reporting tool to track potentially unlawful behavior by immigration officers.

"My first priority is to keep our community safe. The reports of due process violations and potential abuses in other cities are concerning," she said in a statement in late November. "I want our community to be aware and informed of the protections available under law. We must demand accountability and that peoples’ rights are not violated."

Since rumors spread of an operation in New Orleans, hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets in recent days to speak out against the federal push. Immigrant rights advocates braced for the arrival of federal agents, warning residents in immigrant communities to limit their time outdoors.

New Orleans is among a group of cities the Department of Justice considers sanctuary jurisdictions, which the agency defines as places with "policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws."

For more than a decade, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, which manages all detention facilities in New Orleans, has had a policy of refusing requests from immigration officials to temporarily hold arrested suspects unless they've been charged with murder, rape or other serious violent offenses.

In February, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill sued the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, alleging that the agency's policies violate a state law passed in 2024 requiring law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)