A sweeping federal immigration enforcement operation in New Orleans, Louisiana, has entered its second day, leaving the city's immigrant communities in a state of terror and prompting accusations of racial profiling.
Arrests in Public Spaces Spark Community Panic
Dozens of individuals have been detained across the New Orleans area in what the Trump administration describes as a crackdown targeting serious criminals. However, local advocates paint a starkly different picture. Arrests have occurred in public spaces including car parks outside hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, at bus stops, in shopping malls, and within residential neighbourhoods.
Rachel Taber, an organiser with Unión Migrante, shared a video with the Guardian showing masked border patrol agents questioning and handcuffing a man in a Lowe's car park. The agents repeatedly asked the man where he was born, despite him stating he was a US citizen. An unmarked white pickup truck was visible in the background. Taber noted she knows of three incidents where US citizens were detained before being released after proving their status.
In a separate incident reported by CNN, a 22-year-old US-born mother said she was chased home by federal agents in an SUV, screaming that she was a legal citizen as her daughter waited inside. "They're not picking up criminals," said Taber. "They're picking up people off the streets, whoever they can catch – these are moms and dads coming home from work."
City Council Meeting Erupts in Protest
The tension spilled into a New Orleans city council meeting on Thursday, which was disrupted for around half an hour by heated protests. Advocates implored officials to do more to protect residents, holding signs that read "silence supports deportation" and "immigrants built and rebuilt this city".
The council has established an online portal for reporting alleged abuse by federal officers. However, activists demanded the city go further by declaring city property "ICE-free" zones. Activist Mich Gonzalez highlighted the wider impact, stating, "Little kids are not going to school right now. People are not able to take their disabled parents to medical appointments... This city lives on hospitality. Who do you think washes all the dishes in those restaurants?"
As protesters chanted "let the people speak," council president JP Morrell suspended public comments, leading to scuffles as police officers forced protesters out.
Unclear Timeline and Deepening Trauma
The Department of Homeland Security, when asked to verify how many arrests involved undocumented migrants with criminal records under "Operation Catahoula Crunch," said only that "dozens" had been detained and highlighted six individuals. In one highlighted case, the conviction was for vehicle theft and forging documents.
The operation's duration remains unclear, with some reports suggesting it could continue into January. "It's like a siege," said Taber, noting the economic strain on families too afraid to go to work. "There are kids this Christmas who are not just going to be without presents, they're going to be without parents."
As businesses suffer and families remain in hiding, the collective trauma inflicted on New Orleans' immigrant communities continues to mount, with its full impact yet to be measured.
