Public Outcry Grows as Immigration Crackdown Hits New Orleans

Sat Dec 20 2025 16:02:11 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The recent federal immigration operation in New Orleans, aimed at arresting 5,000 individuals, is causing fear and disruption within the community, prompting backlash from local officials and residents.

Mayor-elect Helena Moreno and local leaders express concern over a federal immigration operation in New Orleans that has caused fear and business shutdowns as encounters between residents and agents escalate. The operation targets 5,000 individuals, claiming to focus on criminals, but many feel it's indiscriminately affecting innocent residents, leading to public outcry.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans’ mayor-elect raised alarms on Friday over a federal immigration crackdown that began this week, which local officials claim is already causing harm to the community. The operation has spurred fear among residents, particularly in light of recent confrontations between federal agents and citizens that have sparked videos and public backlash.

Frustration boiled over after the case of Jacelynn Guzman, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen who recorded an alarming incident where masked federal agents pursued her while she was returning from shopping. The incident captured on video and shared widely showed Guzman fleeing in fear, highlighting the community's anxiety surrounding the crackdown.

“We’re legal, we are from here, born and raised,” Guzman pleaded during the encounter. The aggressive tactics deployed by federal agents have left many Hispanic residents feeling vulnerable to potential detention, regardless of their legal status.

This week, several hundred agents under the command of Border Patrol’s Gregory Bovino have descended on Southeast Louisiana, aiming to arrest 5,000 individuals as part of a broader enforcement operation. The Department of Homeland Security reported multiple arrests but failed to provide detailed information.

Accompanying the mayor-elect, Congressman Troy Carter and civil rights advocates echoed the sentiment of alarm, noting that the operation is causing businesses to close and families to stay indoors due to fear of mass detentions. Moreno pointedly criticized the operation, stating it does not appear to align with the claims of targeting dangerous criminals.

To ensure accountability, Moreno has requested regular public briefings from federal agencies, demanding transparency about the operations' data and outcomes. She insists that assessing whether the operation effectively targets serious offenders requires public oversight.

The controversy surrounding the crackdown intensified after Guzman's stepfather highlighted the irrationality of the encounter, suggesting that appearances have led to unjust profiling. The Department of Homeland Security defended their actions, citing a need to search for criminal suspects, though local advocates argue that such methods indiscriminately threaten community safety without justification.