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More than 100 people have been detained in the Catahoula Crunch operation carried out by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Orleans.
In the first week of the Trump administration's operation, border agents arrested 111 individuals, reported Telemundo this Friday.
The arrests are fewer compared to other operations, such as the 400 detentions during the five-day immigration crackdown in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to official data.
The ICE offensive in the southern city has left empty streets, semi-empty parking lots, and the almost total absence of Hispanic workers in commercial areas, reflecting the fear that has taken hold of the immigrant community since the immigration operation began.
Police pressure and the presence of federal agents - including ICE, Border Patrol, and state authorities - have caused thousands of residents to avoid leaving their homes, while the first arrests have already been reported in the city and nearby suburbs.
A week ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially announced the start of “Catahoula Crunch”, an operation aimed -according to the agency- at "undocumented immigrant criminals who have been released from prison and returned to American communities."
In its statement, the government accused New Orleans of maintaining "sanctuary city" policies that, it claims, allow for the release of undocumented individuals with criminal backgrounds.
DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that local policies force federal agents to "risk their lives" to capture individuals who "should never have been back on the streets."
According to the official, the operation targets individuals who had previously been arrested for burglary, armed robbery, vehicle theft, and sexual assault.
The federal government maintains that the operation responds to an increase in cases where New Orleans allegedly failed to honor the detention orders issued by ICE.
The FBI and the Louisiana State Police announced a parallel initiative to "deter attacks" against federal agents and prevent any attempts at obstruction during raids.
The collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies is part of a broader operation that, according to AP, could target the arrest of up to 5,000 individuals, following the mass arrest strategy initiated by the Trump administration.
Although New Orleans has been classified by the federal government as a "sanctuary jurisdiction," the Louisiana Legislature - dominated by Republicans - has passed laws tightening mandatory cooperation with ICE.
Among them are the penalization of any action that interferes with immigration operations, the expansion of the crime of misconduct for officials who do not cooperate with ICE, and the prohibition of releasing individuals who have entered or remained in the country illegally without first notifying federal authorities.
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