The Department of Homeland Security began its latest immigration crackdown in New Orleans on Wednesday as part of “Operation Catahoula Crunch.”
The Trump administration is targeting illegal immigrants and violent criminals who were released from police custody for the following crimes: home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto, and rape.
The department justified the move by arguing that the sanctuary policies in New Orleans prevent local authorities from cooperating with detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Sanctuary policies endanger American communities by releasing illegal criminal aliens and forcing DHS law enforcement to risk their lives to remove criminal illegal aliens that should have never been put back on the streets,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “It is asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims.”
McLaughlin did not specify how many immigration officers or agents would be deployed under Operation Catahoula Crunch.
Operation Catahoula Crunch is reminiscent of other creative operation names, including “Operation Charlotte’s Web” in Charlotte and “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago. The name of the New Orleans operation likely refers to the Catahoula Leopard Dog, a specific dog breed used for hunting and herding livestock. In 1979, it became the official state dog of Louisiana. Catahoula is also the name of a parish in northern Louisiana.
With Wednesday’s announcement, DHS adds New Orleans to the growing list of major cities experiencing surges in immigration enforcement. Immigration authorities were previously deployed to Charlotte, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
National Guard deployment/pending by Washington ExaminerMinnesota’s Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, will also see a surge in federal immigration enforcement personnel soon in response to a federal Somali fraud investigation.
Because New Orleans is a predominantly liberal city in a conservative state, Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) has welcomed the operation despite opposition from local officials.
Helena Moreno, the incoming Democratic mayor of New Orleans, described a state of fear in the city and claimed federal immigration authorities are engaging in racial profiling.
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“What they’re seeing on TV and reports that they’re seeing is not that Border Patrol is going after the most violent criminals. That’s not what they’re seeing,” Moreno told CNN. “What they’re seeing is what appears to be racial profiling of brown people and then going after these individuals and treating them like they are these significantly violent offenders.”
In response to the onset of the operation, the mayor-elect said she will inform residents of their rights if they are detained.
New Orleans is expected to see the National Guard soon, after President Donald Trump teased a deployment on Tuesday. Landry previously requested up to 1,000 troops to fight crime. The anticipated deployment is expected to arrive in the coming weeks, likely before Christmas.
