A major federal immigration enforcement operation in New Orleans, Louisiana, has entered its second day, leaving the city's immigrant communities in a state of fear and prompting accusations of racial profiling.
Widespread Arrests and Community Terror
Dozens of individuals have been detained across the New Orleans area in what is being described as a sweeping crackdown by the Trump administration. Advocates report that people are staying in hiding, terrified of being arrested in public spaces. Arrests have occurred in parking lots outside major 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. In the footage, agents repeatedly ask the man where he was born, despite him stating he is a US citizen. Taber noted she knows of at least three incidents where US citizens were detained and held for questioning before being released upon proving their status.
"It's Psychological Warfare": Allegations of Profiling
The operation, reportedly dubbed "Operation Catahoula Crunch," has been defended by the Trump administration as targeting "the worst of the worst" criminals. However, when pressed by the Guardian, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not verify how many arrests involved undocumented migrants with serious criminal records. They highlighted six individuals, one of whose only conviction was for vehicle theft and forging documents.
"They're not picking up criminals," asserted Taber. "They're picking up people off the streets, whoever they can catch – these are moms and dads coming home from work." She described the tactics as "psychological warfare" and "straight racial profiling." In one incident, federal agents smashed a man's car windows in a Walmart parking lot before taking him into custody.
CNN reported the case of a 22-year-old US-born mother who was chased home by federal agents in an SUV, screaming that she was a legal citizen as her daughter waited inside.
City Council Protests and Community Response
The crackdown has sparked significant local backlash. A New Orleans city council meeting was disrupted for around half an hour on Thursday by heated protests. Advocates implored officials to do more to protect residents from ICE and border patrol, holding signs that read "silence supports deportation" and "immigrants built and rebuilt this city."
The council has set up an online portal for reporting alleged abuse by federal officers. However, activists demand more, calling for city property to be declared "ICE-free" zones. Activist Mich Gonzalez warned of the broader impact: "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."
As protesters chanted "let the people speak," council president JP Morrell suspended public comments, leading to scuffles and police forcibly removing some individuals.
With reports suggesting the operation could last into January, Taber likened the atmosphere to a "siege." She highlighted the economic toll, with people afraid to work and businesses suffering. The collective trauma, she fears, will be profound: "There are kids this Christmas who are not just going to be without presents, they're going to be without parents."
