"We Have Rights": New Orleans Bracing for Mass Deportation Crackdown
As US President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda continues to gain momentum, residents of New Orleans are bracing themselves for a major deployment of federal border patrol officers in the city. With an expected 250 agents descending on the city soon, authorities are preparing for what is being dubbed "Operation Swamp Sweep", set to launch on December 1st with the stated aim of arresting 5,000 people.
New Orleans has been at the center of Trump's immigration crackdowns, with the President declaring in September that the city had a "crime problem" and vowed to straighten it out within two weeks. However, crime rates have actually dropped by 20% compared to last year, including a historic decline in murders.
The operation will be led by senior border patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has overseen aggressive campaigns in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte, where residents have clashed with federal agents amid reports of excessive force and arrests. In Charlotte, activists have filed lawsuits over arrests and deployment of teargas, while community groups in New Orleans are organizing to resist the expected crackdown.
Residents are taking a proactive approach, sharing information on social media about suspected ICE sightings, alerting landscapers and manual workers, and helping to escort children to and from school when ICE agents are present. Whistleblowers are also blowing trumpets outside homes where they suspect ICE officers will be arriving.
New Orleans' mayor-elect Helena Moreno has expressed concerns over the impact of the operation on residents who may be targeted due to their immigration status, warning about "a lot of fear" in the city and vowing to ensure that those with rights know them. Local immigrant advocacy group Unión Migrante is also gearing up, posting resources and holding workshops on what protections people have during an immigration investigation.
The state government has backed Trump's efforts, passing a law threatening prison time for law enforcement officials who delay or ignore federal enforcement efforts. Governor Jeff Landry, a staunch Trump ally, has also requested a national guard deployment to New Orleans despite there being no evidence of violent crime requiring such a response.
Meanwhile, the local police department has released from a federal reform pact that previously shielded its officers from participating in immigration enforcement. The new policy allows for collaboration with federal agents but emphasizes that undocumented residents are not criminals.
As US President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda continues to gain momentum, residents of New Orleans are bracing themselves for a major deployment of federal border patrol officers in the city. With an expected 250 agents descending on the city soon, authorities are preparing for what is being dubbed "Operation Swamp Sweep", set to launch on December 1st with the stated aim of arresting 5,000 people.
New Orleans has been at the center of Trump's immigration crackdowns, with the President declaring in September that the city had a "crime problem" and vowed to straighten it out within two weeks. However, crime rates have actually dropped by 20% compared to last year, including a historic decline in murders.
The operation will be led by senior border patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has overseen aggressive campaigns in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte, where residents have clashed with federal agents amid reports of excessive force and arrests. In Charlotte, activists have filed lawsuits over arrests and deployment of teargas, while community groups in New Orleans are organizing to resist the expected crackdown.
Residents are taking a proactive approach, sharing information on social media about suspected ICE sightings, alerting landscapers and manual workers, and helping to escort children to and from school when ICE agents are present. Whistleblowers are also blowing trumpets outside homes where they suspect ICE officers will be arriving.
New Orleans' mayor-elect Helena Moreno has expressed concerns over the impact of the operation on residents who may be targeted due to their immigration status, warning about "a lot of fear" in the city and vowing to ensure that those with rights know them. Local immigrant advocacy group Unión Migrante is also gearing up, posting resources and holding workshops on what protections people have during an immigration investigation.
The state government has backed Trump's efforts, passing a law threatening prison time for law enforcement officials who delay or ignore federal enforcement efforts. Governor Jeff Landry, a staunch Trump ally, has also requested a national guard deployment to New Orleans despite there being no evidence of violent crime requiring such a response.
Meanwhile, the local police department has released from a federal reform pact that previously shielded its officers from participating in immigration enforcement. The new policy allows for collaboration with federal agents but emphasizes that undocumented residents are not criminals.
i mean, i think it's crazy to have like 250 border patrol agents descending on n'awlins? that just seems so aggressive 
. and yeah, crime rates have actually been dropping in the city, so what's the point of all this? 
plus, it feels like trump is just using immigration as a scapegoat for his other issues... like racism and stuff 
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. if you're undocumented, life gets super hard 
. but what's even crazier is that governor landry wants to deploy the national guard? no evidence of anything, just because trump says so? 
that doesn't seem right to me... 
. some people are all for stricter immigration laws, while others think it's a human rights issue 
. i'm just so tired of the back-and-forth 
. can't we just find some common ground? 
I'm really worried about what's happening in New Orleans right now 
. With 250 fed agents coming in to arrest 5,000 people, it sounds like a complete disaster waiting to happen 
. The fact that crime rates have actually dropped by 20% is being completely ignored and the city is being painted as some kind of "crime problem" area 
. The mayor-elect and governor are all like "oh, it'll be fine" but how can they not see that this is going to cause huge fear and anxiety among residents? 
.
we need to think about whats really going on here - is it just a way to scare ppl into voting against trump in the next election? or is it actually trying to help the country? im not buying it. what i do think though, is that new orleans and other cities are super proactive when it comes to resisting these crackdowns 
we need more of that kind of community organizing and activism. its not just about having rights, its about making sure ppl feel safe in their own communities. and lets be real, trumps whole deportation thing is basically a threat against ppl who might try to speak out against him or support others who are being targeted 
we need to stand together and fight for what is right, not just talk about it 
how can ppl do dis 2 innocent ppl? like, what's next? deporting all the good people in NOLA? 
the mayor-elect Helena Moreno is on point tho, makin' sure everyone knows they got rights and all that jazz. 
Unión Migrante is doin some real work too, spreadin the word 'bout protections & resources for ppl goin through this mess. but seriously, who gives out prison time to cops who dont wanna enforce immigration laws? thats straight up crazy talk! 
we gotta keep fightin' for our rights and standin' together as a community 
What if people get deported with no chance of being reunited with their families or loved ones? It's just so... inhumane.
. The fact that local immigrant advocacy group Unión Migrante is helping ppl understand their rights during an investigation is a big deal 
. We gotta stand up for each other in this situation! 
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. We should always remember that we got laws in place to protect us, too – even when it comes to immigration issues. It's not just about followin' rules, but about treatin' each other with kindness and respect 
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and another thing, why is it that all these cities gotta be "swept" like they're some kinda crime-ridden zone? Charlotte had a similar situation last year and look how that turned out 
...and now Helena Moreno is talkin about makin sure ppl know their rights? that's the least we should expect from our leaders 
They're gonna be cleaning up the swamp and we'll just be left to deal with the mess... of our own making? 
On a serious note, who gets arrested for having 20% less crime in their city? That's like getting busted for having too many good vibes downtown. 
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. but seriously, i'm keeping an eye on it and if anyone needs any help or has any info, hit me up! my heart goes out to all the ppl who are gonna be affected by this and im so proud of Helena Moreno for speaking up 
. It seems like they're just going to swoop in and start arresting people left and right without even considering whether or not they have rights? 
. Hasn't the city been saying that it's actually safer than ever with a 20% drop in crime rates? 
. And let's be real, most of those 5k are just looking to make a quick buck or get a decent meal, they're not exactly saints 
. And if ppl wanna blow trumpets outside homes, that's their prerogative 
. I mean, come on, we got bigger problems to worry 'bout than some immigration crackdowns 
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. If you break 'em, you gotta face the music 
. So bring on the Operation Swamp Sweep and let's see what all the fuss is about 
!
, sharing info online and organizing community resistance