Federal agents launched a major immigration crackdown in New Orleans on Wednesday, arresting at least 50 people as part of what the Department of Homeland Security has dubbed 'Operation Catahoula Crunch'. The operation, led by border patrol chief Gregory Bovino, targeted individuals who had been previously released after arrests for crimes including home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto and rape.
Masked agents patrolled heavily Latino suburbs in marked and unmarked vehicles, with arrests reported at hardware stores including Lowe's and Home Depot in several locations around the city. Bovino, a frequent Fox News guest who has become the face of the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts, was filmed leading a group of agents through the historic French Quarter, where one woman heckled them from her car.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the homeland security department, said in a statement that it was 'asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to commit more crimes and create more victims'. Roughly 250 agents are reportedly targeting 5,000 arrests, with the operation potentially continuing into January.
Community organizers have urged residents to stay indoors and educated the public on how to interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Some businesses have closed or told workers to stay home, including Taqueria Guerrero in the Mid-City neighbourhood, which announced on social media it was closing for the foreseeable future, citing the safety and dignity of its staff.
Mayor-elect Helena Moreno expressed concern about racial profiling, telling CNN that what people were seeing 'is not that border patrol is going after the most violent criminals' but rather 'racial profiling of brown people'. Protesters have taken to the streets, chanting 'No ICE, no fear – immigrants are welcome here'.
