Federal authorities launched a new police operation in New Orleans on Wednesday, December 3, targeting individuals living illegally in the city. The action was announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as the Trump administration continues its city-to-city crackdown on immigration.
According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, the operation’s stated targets include “violent criminals released after arrests for home invasions, armed robberies, car thefts, and rapes.”
However, the scope of the operation remains unclear, and critics warn that previous actions under this campaign have led to the detention of many individuals with no criminal record, raising concerns about overreach and political motivations.
The operation was initially expected to continue through the end of the year, with a partial slowdown during the Christmas period.
President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the National Guard would be deployed to the southern city in the coming weeks—an escalation that civil rights groups say risks militarizing local communities and deepening fear among immigrant families.
Political Targeting of Democratic-Led Cities
New Orleans, home to roughly 384,000 residents, has become the latest Democratic-led city targeted by Trump’s mass-deportation campaign. Since the summer, federal immigration officials have already increased their presence in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., prompting sharp criticism over:
- aggressive enforcement tactics,
- indiscriminate arrests, and
- the detention of individuals with no criminal charges.
This latest operation follows a similar sweep recently conducted in Charlotte, North Carolina.
