Tensions are climbing across the New Orleans area as Mayor-elect Helena Moreno publicly challenges the Trump administration over its secrecy surrounding “Operation Catahoula Crunch,” a sweeping Border Patrol crackdown now in its third day. Moreno is demanding transparency on arrests, identification of agents, and legal justifications for detentions—while Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill warns local police leaders about limits on cooperation with federal agents.
Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino has refused to release key details, even as masked agents are seen detaining residents across the region. Reports are mounting of legal residents, work-permit holders, and even U.S. citizens being stopped or detained, echoing similar sweeps in Chicago and North Carolina. The operation has triggered a political firestorm, civil rights concerns, and growing calls for accountability as communities scramble for information.
#CatahoulaCrunch #BorderPatrolSweep #NewOrleansNews #HelenaMoreno #ImmigrationSweeps #USBorderPatrol #NOPD #LizMurrill #GregoryBovino #ImmigrationOperation #LouisianaNews #CivilRights #ImmigrationArrests #DHS #ImmigrationPolicy2025 #NewOrleansUpdates
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Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino has refused to release key details, even as masked agents are seen detaining residents across the region. Reports are mounting of legal residents, work-permit holders, and even U.S. citizens being stopped or detained, echoing similar sweeps in Chicago and North Carolina. The operation has triggered a political firestorm, civil rights concerns, and growing calls for accountability as communities scramble for information.
#CatahoulaCrunch #BorderPatrolSweep #NewOrleansNews #HelenaMoreno #ImmigrationSweeps #USBorderPatrol #NOPD #LizMurrill #GregoryBovino #ImmigrationOperation #LouisianaNews #CivilRights #ImmigrationArrests #DHS #ImmigrationPolicy2025 #NewOrleansUpdates
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NewsTranscript
00:00New Orleans Mayor-Elect Helena Marino, Democratic Congressman Troy Carter and others held a press conference on ICE operations in that city.
00:08They addressed the impacts of immigration enforcement and demands made to senior Border Patrol officials Gregory Bovino for increased transparency from federal officials.
00:20Unfortunately, it does not appear that these are the people being targeted in Operation Catahoula Crunch.
00:28This operation is actually causing harm for the city of New Orleans, and it's causing harm for people beyond those who are being targeted.
00:39We have businesses that are closing. We have workers afraid to show up, and ultimately there is an economic impact, a negative economic impact that is spreading across our city and also across our region.
00:53We, of course, recognize federal law and federal enforcement authority, but we also stand here with an obligation to ensure that federal operations are conducted transparently, constitutionally, and with respect for local residents.
01:11Our priorities are, of course, public safety, protection of people's rights, and maintaining trust between government and the community.
01:21So today we want to bring to you demands of the Border Patrol, and these are demands that the City Council has actually just sent over to Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino,
01:34that I've been watching y'all's media reports, and he appears to be in our city and in our region.
01:41There are five points to these demands.
01:44The first starts with reporting requirements to ensure public trust.
01:49We are requesting regular public briefings from federal agencies that include data on the stops, detentions, warrants, and outcomes,
02:01information on civil rights compliance, and oversight mechanisms.
02:06We are specifically asking for clear information on the number of individuals detained within city limits,
02:14the legal basis for each detention, including warrants or charges, whether anyone without a warrant has been taken into custody,
02:24and if any of the people detained have violent criminal histories.
02:29Without this full visibility into these enforcement actions, it is impossible to determine whether this particular operation is actually targeting the most dangerous offenders.
02:40We've constantly heard on the news claims that this operation is about going after rapists, pedophiles, and murderers,
02:49but is it really casting a much wider net?
02:54The second piece that we want to talk about in our second demand is due process protections.
03:03Every person, regardless of immigration status or background, actually has constitutional protections.
03:09So we expect prompt access to legal representation, clear notification of rights during encounters with federal agents,
03:18no detentions without properly issued warrants or clear probable cause.
03:23The third piece, and this is a really key and critical piece,
03:26we insist that all federal agencies comply with the request of our NOPD chief, Ann Kirkpatrick,
03:34that they are clearly identified as law enforcement and that they are not wearing masks that obscure their identity.
03:43This is really important because this level of clarity protects not only the community, but also law enforcement agencies as well.
03:53Our fourth request has to do with safeguards against discriminatory enforcements.
03:59These are really safeguards against any type of profiling.
04:03The city expects firm assurances that no stops or detentions are based on race, ethnicity, national origin, language, or perceived immigration status.
04:15We are requesting demographic data to monitor and prevent unequal treatment.
04:20And finally, the fifth point and fifth demand are humanitarian considerations.
04:25We need assurances that any individual detained has access to medical care, necessary medications, language interpretation, and notification of family members.
04:38Federal operations must uphold the basic and humane treatment that all should be allowed in this country.
04:46Overall, our points are just very simple.
04:48They're simple.
04:49They're centered around communication, transparency, accountability, and upholding people's constitutional rights.
04:57I don't believe that we're asking for too much here.
05:00We have a series of different speakers today.
05:03I'll give you a little bit of the run of show.
05:06We'll go first with our congressman, Troy Carter.
05:09Then after that, it'll be City Council President J.P. Morrell speaking on behalf of the New Orleans City Council,
05:15followed by our former mayor, Mark Morial, also head of the National Urban League,
05:20Omero Lopez with Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy,
05:24Myra Pineda with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
05:28Sarah Whittington with the ACLU,
05:30and then Pastor Sean Ingram, who is representing a group of faith leaders here in our city of New Orleans.
05:36So, Congressman Carter, we'll start it with you.
05:41Thank you very much.
05:42Thank you very much, Madam Mayor-elect.
05:44And thank you all for being here.
05:46I stand proudly and in unity with our mayor-elect,
05:50our city council members,
05:52our local and national leaders
05:54to address this grave concern.
05:56The concern surrounding recent federal activity in our community.
06:01Thank you all for being here.
06:03This show of unity says it all.
06:05New Orleans is a city with a soul.
06:08Our culture, our neighborhoods,
06:10our traditions,
06:10and a deep sense of community shape how we live and how we keep each other safe.
06:19Any law enforcement activity in our city, including federal operations, must honor that reality.
06:25It must reflect an understanding of our local laws, our norms, our people.
06:31I've been in communication, homeland security, for further clarity.
06:38To date, we've received no information.
06:40We must make sure that if you're going to come into the city of New Orleans, the state of Louisiana,
06:48any of our municipalities, there has to be a concerted effort.
06:54There has to be a basic degree of respect for local laws, for de-escalation,
07:02for the understanding of our municipal laws, our cultures, and our people.
07:07To coordinate, if you really want to help, Mr. President, there are ways you can do it.
07:14You can provide resources for more police officers, better training for police officers,
07:21training in the areas of de-escalation,
07:23working with the root cause and causes of crime.
07:28If you truly want to go after the bad guys, if you will, there's ways to do that.
07:37As a member of United States Homeland Security, I'll be requesting a full field hearing to be held here in New Orleans
07:44so we can directly address and assess these pressing issues in the light of day
07:50and in the presence of the people most affected.
07:53Let me be abundantly clear.
07:56We support strong action against violence in dangerous individuals.
08:02Public safety is a shared responsibility,
08:05and our city has worked hard to reduce crime through prevention, collaboration, and trust.
08:11We cannot support operations that create fear, confusion, or disruption for families, workers,
08:20or small businesses.
08:22Effective enforcement does not require heavy-handed tactics.
08:25It requires communication, de-escalation, transparency, and respect for the community being served.
08:33We want federal partners.
08:35We just don't want occupation.
08:38We want to have them work with us, not around us.
08:43We want accountability.
08:44We want clarity.
08:45And we want enforcement efforts that strengthen public trust instead of shaking it to its core.
08:56And in summary, I want to reiterate, we embrace help from the federal government.
09:04We embrace help from anyone who wants to make our city better, safer, stronger.
09:07But you must recognize that we have a government in place.
09:12We have elected leaders.
09:14We have a city charter that dictates the power structure and how things are coordinated.
09:19We simply ask that that's respected.
09:22We simply ask that we have enforcement and not fear, focused on lawful enforcement.
09:31Our people deserve safety, dignity, and transparency.
09:33I will continue to stand with our mayor-elect, our city council, our community leaders, our national leaders
09:39to get our city and our state nothing less.
09:43Thank you for being here.
09:51Sorry, I'm wearing a mask because I have a cold.
09:54In fact, the only two times appropriate to wear a mask in a city of New Orleans is when you're sick
09:58and when it's Mardi Gras.
09:59So I don't think anyone's told ICE that.
10:02So let's talk about reality.
10:05We've heard a lot of stories from the federal government as to why they're here.
10:10We've heard that they are here to detain 5,000 illegal immigrants who are criminals, who are a danger to our streets.
10:19I will tell you that as someone who has studied law enforcement for a very long time, you should never trust a quota.
10:23And when groups come in and say, we're looking to arrest 5,000 people, that tells you they're looking to arrest 5,000 people.
10:30And the lack of transparency that we have gotten from those parties operating here, well, in their jurisdiction,
10:38but without the support and help of our local people, the lack of information on who they're arresting and why has been very, very troubling.
10:47Now, this is nothing new for New Orleans.
10:48I mean, if you look back to the history of the city, from Napoleon to Jefferson to Jackson to now Trump,
10:54you've always had people at the national and state level trying to impose their will on the city.
10:58And what you're seeing right now is just that, an effort for political reasons,
11:04for people outside of the city to impose their values and their judgments of what they think New Orleans should be upon the city.
11:11We are a city of immigrants, more so than almost any city in the United States.
11:16We are a port city that has welcomed groups from everywhere across this world, and our culture is greater for it.
11:24Everything about New Orleans, everything you love about this city is because of our rich, diverse melting pot, and that will not change.
11:32We will always be the city that welcomes everyone.
11:35And that's really encapsulated in the sign you may see in many restaurants where it says, be nice or leave.
11:41And we would certainly encourage ICE to follow that really basic tenet.
11:45Part of being nice or leaving in New Orleans is staying out of our schools, our recreation centers, our libraries, and off our city buses.
11:54Staying out of our civic and religious spaces, our food banks, our shelters, and respect the sanctity of our temples of worship.
12:02Respect our cultural spaces, our practices, including second lines, funeral processions, our black, masculine Indians, and our various festivals.
12:11These are not places for you to go into to inspire terror in regards to a mission that is very, very unclear.
12:20Now, as I've said it, we have heard that there is a reason for them being here, and we have not seen actions or information that bellies that reason is legitimate.
12:31As the council vice president and mayor like that said, this is your opportunity to be transparent, to give us the information that you say led you to this city, to give us the list of people that are these criminal elements that you're seeking to figure out, and to be transparent about why you're detaining or harassing people.
12:52I can tell you, like many of you, I saw the video yesterday of a young mother in Marrero fleeing ICE, only to be safe on her own property.
13:03It was obvious in the wake of that, this was not someone that was a legal immigrant.
13:07This was not somebody who was a criminal.
13:08This was a mom at the grocery store.
13:10That is what we are seeing, and that does not match the reasons and rationale as to why ICE is allegedly here.
13:17I do not believe you are here for the reason you say you're here, but you have an opportunity to prove me wrong.
13:26Provide the information that's being requested by this New Orleans City Council, by our mayor-elect, and prove that there's actual, actionable information that has led to you thinking that there are 5,000 violent criminals lurking in the greater New Orleans area.
13:40The lack of providing that information, the lack of transparency, shows that's not really the reason why you're here.
13:46Until then, this council will continue to use all the resources available to us, legal and otherwise, to make sure that the citizens of the city are protected.
14:01First of all, good afternoon.
14:02I'm Mark Morial.
14:04I used to work here.
14:05And I want to thank Mayor-elect Moreno for her leadership, the members of the city council, and the other community leaders in this moment for standing together.
14:18I come today as president of the National Urban League, the nation's largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.
14:27We operate in 300 communities, 36 states, 93 affiliates.
14:36We serve almost 10 million people a year.
14:40We have been monitoring very closely the actions of ICE and the National Guard in cities all across the nation.
14:51And there are a few points that I want to make.
14:55Number one, this policy that's been undertaken by the administration is an absolute and abject failure.
15:04It's a failure for a number of reasons.
15:06Number one, it's inconsistent with what the administration said they were going to do.
15:12What they said is, we will focus and target on undocumented individuals that have criminal records for outstanding warrants.
15:23What we know from Los Angeles all the way here is that those words are being betrayed by the actions of ICE.
15:34That this sweep is catching, number one, people who are undocumented, for whom there is no outstanding warrant, nor are they wanted for a crime.
15:50Let me remind everyone that immigration violations are civil violations, civil violations under U.S. law.
15:59They are sweeping into communities where naturalized citizens, those that have work visas, green cards, have every right to be in the country, are being swept in to this net.
16:18Consider this.
16:21There are 66,000 people currently in immigration detention across the nation today.
16:27Today, less than 50% of them have outstanding warrants or criminal histories.
16:35The other 50% do not meet the standard, do not meet the standard that the administration set for itself.
16:46Number two, it is abhorrent to me, absolutely abhorrent, that law enforcement would feel they need to wear masks.
16:57I grew up in this city.
17:00I was born in a segregated hospital when segregation was the law of this city.
17:08Mask remind me, and I want to be clear, remind me of the tactics of the Ku Klux Klan.
17:16Let me be clear, let me be clear, I do not suggest that the ICE or the Ku Klux Klan, but in this country, there is zero precedent for sworn law enforcement officers to mask themselves to carry out public enforcement actions.
17:39Number two, I would encourage them, if they're insisting on wearing masks, they can ride in Rex, Zulu, and Demian.
17:50We know masking in New Orleans.
17:53It's abhorrent that they're wearing masks.
17:57Further, further, the demands being made by the mayor-elect today are reasonable.
18:07They are consistent with the obligations that these leaders have to protect the public and to protect the citizens.
18:17And their actions are in no way, quote-unquote, interfering with the actions of ICE.
18:26Additionally, we must be concerned, because over the last 48 to 72 hours, I've received a number of calls from business owners, hotel general managers, and the like,
18:39of the impact negative that these actions will have on the New Orleans economy.
18:48Grocery stores close, hotel employees and restaurant employees not coming to work, therefore, forcing, in one case, a hotel general manager said to me,
19:00I may have to cancel reservations for the Sugar Bowl upcoming because I simply don't have enough personnel.
19:06Now, the final thing I'll say, there's a better way to do this.
19:13This policy is failed.
19:15The immigration system is absolutely broken.
19:18But that this administration has not advanced nor supported in the past any proposal, partisan or bipartisan, from a legislative point of view, to fix a broken system,
19:34this policy makes no sense, and it also is not sustainable over time.
19:41So, the civil rights community is monitoring these activities all across the nation, and we will continue to speak out.
19:50And no one here is going to be intimidated by rhetoric, whether it comes from Baton Rouge, Washington, or anywhere,
20:01in terms of standing up for the dignity of human beings in this city.
20:06These are mothers, these are families, these are children, these are people who work, these are people who are contributing, in many instances, to this community.
20:20And now, all of a sudden, many of them will find themselves detained.
20:24And guess what?
20:25That means that taxpayers of the United States will be paying to room, to board, to clothe, and take care of them.
20:34And think about that policy.
20:38So, we stand together today.
20:47I'll keep my remarks short and sweet, you know, much like me.
20:51My name is Homero Lopez.
20:53I am the legal director for Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy.
20:56We are a pro bono immigration services provider.
21:00We represent people throughout detention in Louisiana, and we've been doing it for approximately seven years now, going on eight.
21:07This operation is a complete disgrace.
21:10What we are hearing from our community members, what we are hearing from our clients, is exactly what we've seen happen in other cities.
21:18Folks are being arrested indiscriminately, targeted for the color of their skin, the language they speak, the location where they're working.
21:27This is a sorry pretext of using public safety as the pretext for why they're doing this operation.
21:33If anything, it is making our community more afraid and less safe in a situation where folks aren't able to send or feel scared to send their kids to school, where folks feel afraid to go to work, where folks in any situation are hunkering down instead of doing the things that they were doing in our society.
21:52They are targeting members of the immigrant community across the board.
21:56They're targeting U.S. citizens.
21:57They're targeting permit holders.
21:59They're targeting people who are going through the process across the board.
22:02As the president, as the council president said, they're not in any way targeting a specific group of people.
22:10They have a quota, and they're going after an entire, that 5,000 is what they want.
22:15That's who they're going after.
22:16That's what they're going to do.
22:17They're going to get their 5,000.
22:18It doesn't matter whether they fit what kind of category, except, you know, basically being brown, speaking Spanish, and working in particular areas of the economy.
22:27And so, as a community, we remind everybody you have rights.
22:31Speak up.
22:32Exercise your rights.
22:33And although, unfortunately, people's rights have been violated, continue to speak up your rights, exercise your rights, and the community will come out.
22:41At least the legal community, we're working together to be able to protect people after your rights have been violated.
22:47Thank you very much.
22:48Good afternoon, everyone.
22:53My name is Mayra Pineda.
22:54I'm the president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, a non-profit, a statewide non-profit.
23:01We definitely thank Mayor-elect and the council for allowing us to be here and supporting the requests that we have.
23:12We are in full alignment with these requests.
23:15We feel and have been sharing through our messages the impact, the economic impact, the mental health impact that these policies are having throughout the community.
23:27When you see businesses and business owners having to close down when children can't go to school or to church and they can't conduct their normal lives.
23:36I mean, I think everybody has seen there is no traffic.
23:40Why?
23:41You go to the mall, nobody's there, so the economic impact is going to be great, the mental health as well.
23:49We need to request and demand respect for our community.
23:54We need to, the Chamber of Commerce, our mission is to foster a favorable business environment for business owners.
24:02So instead of doing what we do best, helping business owners with resources and tools to grow, we're now trying to help them with grants and ways to survive because they won't be able to.
24:16Some of them are still recovering from COVID.
24:18So as a community, we need to continue to be proud of our roots, continue to fight for our rights,
24:26and educate our people to make sure that we are following due process, that we are making sure that a conversation begins around reform,
24:38the immigration reform, which is long overdue, and the humanitarian treatment of our people.
24:47The Chamber of Commerce has put out a resource page with tools for business owners, for individuals.
24:52It's working with many and collaborating with many other organizations, but stands in alignment with this, with the mayor-elect and the city council,
25:03and making sure that during this process, our people and the soul of New Orleans is respected.
25:11So thank you very much again, and we'll continue to work with you.
25:19Good afternoon.
25:20My name is Sarah Whittington.
25:21I'm the Advocacy Director for the ACLU of Louisiana, and a member of the Free the Swamp campaign,
25:26standing in opposition to the militarization and federalization of New Orleans.
25:31We at the ACLU stand before you to share many of the emotions that our communities are currently feeling.
25:36Shock, disgust, fear, and rage.
25:41In just a few days, it has become clear that Border Patrol and ICE have zero accountability.
25:45Citizens have already been profiled because of the color of their skin, chased, hunted, and workers have even stared down the barrels of rifles just trying to do their jobs.
25:56This chaos and lack of professionalism and alarming disregard for civil rights exhibited by these federal agents should shock not just Louisianans, but the country at large.
26:07But we will not stop working to fight back against these atrocities and trying to keep our communities safe.
26:15This week, we sued Attorney General Merle over Act 399 on behalf of ISLA and the absurdly vague law that attempted to criminalize anything deemed as interference with federal immigration efforts.
26:28Immediately upon our filing, the AG conceded in writing that Act 399 will not and cannot be used against speech and protected First Amendment actions.
26:40It is a dark time that we have to seek clarification about whether the First Amendment still stands.
26:46But this week, in our courts and from the AG herself, we confirmed it still does.
26:53And it is a reminder that when we fight authoritarian overreach, we win.
27:00We are here to demand not just transparency from these federal agents, but to tell them that if they are going to make our city less safe, they are not welcome here.
27:10New Orleans has seen historic low crime rates over the past year because of local investments in prevention strategies led by many on the council here today.
27:18And for any federal officers here in our beloved city, we want to make this clear.
27:24The people of New Orleans will stand together and we will keep each other and our city safe.
27:35Good afternoon.
27:38Thank you, Mayor-elect, for gathering us.
27:41It's an important day.
27:42I'm Pastor Sean of First Grace, a United Methodist Church on Canal and Norman C. Francis.
27:48And I think, as we've heard in our remarks, everything that I have seen happening is unconstitutional, it's un-American, and it's unacceptable.
27:59More importantly, it violates our common humanity, which every religion teaches and any decent person knows of.
28:07So much of the root of evil is valuing another people over other people.
28:13And right now, if you're not white, and especially if you're not a white man, you are suspect in this city.
28:19Members of my church and of other communities, churches, people are not going out, not because they're immigrants, but because of the color of their skin.
28:28This policy is a violation of our life together and the violation of the spirit of New Orleans.
28:35All over our city, the hope I see is days like today and hundreds of New Orleanians who are gathering all over our city to understand how they can help their neighbors, their immigrant neighbors.
28:52How can I help?
28:53The more we confront this, the more we'll bring it to an end, because the people perpetrating this cannot stop themselves.
29:03We have to help them be better people and better Americans.
29:07So I want to thank the city of New Orleans and all the groups who are joining together, and again, our mayor-elect for bringing us together to put an end to what is happening in our beloved city that celebrates life together.
29:21Thank you, Sean.
29:23Thank you to all the speakers.
29:26Just a point that I wanted to make based on some of the comments, and that is the level of crime reduction that we're currently seeing right here in the city of New Orleans.
29:36We are seeing significant violent crime reduction.
29:39In fact, I had the stats checked just before I came in, and we are on pace right now to have the fewest murders since 1970.
29:48That's where we're at right now.
29:49Now, obviously, we do know that there's more work to do, and we absolutely would like fruitful federal investments and resources.
30:00And in the letter that we sent to Commander Bovino today, we actually talk about that, that we would actually very much welcome getting in a room together to talk about what those fruitful federal resources could be.
30:13Anything from investments and prevention, which is one of the reasons why our crime numbers are so low, to even more assistance to our New Orleans Police Department.
30:23I've talked to Chief Kirkpatrick about the necessity for additional federal prosecutors.
30:27I've talked to Chief Kirkpatrick on the state level, really, on additional resources coming from probation and parole.
30:33So there is this additional assistance that we would welcome, but more than anything, we would like that dialogue so that we can have that conversation with our federal agencies as to what the city of New Orleans needs to make us safer overall.
30:48And then I also want to mention, too, just what we as city leaders are experiencing every day and the calls that are coming into my office.
30:59Just about 15 minutes before I came to this particular news conference, my receptionist, Josette, she received a call from someone saying that they know one of their loved ones was detained,
31:12but they have no idea where he is and really are seeking some kind of assistance to figure out where he is.
31:19Those are the real-life scenarios and situations that are happening right here in our city and our region,
31:26and those are the types of calls that we are starting to get right here at the city council level.
31:30So with that, I'll open it up for questions.
31:32I'm going to start from left and take it over to right.
31:34On the left.
31:35How do you plan to find these people, figure out who they are, and contact their families, like an instance you just mentioned?
31:43Yeah, great question.
31:45That's one of the reasons why we are demanding this level of information.
31:49To me, you know, I was shocked to find out that when I requested some of this information
31:54about who had been detained recently on Elysian Fields in the city of New Orleans,
32:00that that information would not be provided to me.
32:03I was interested to know, okay, who was detained, what were the charges, were there any outstanding warrants,
32:10and I was just told flat no that I would not be able to receive this information.
32:14I was then later sent additional information that I could potentially send free,
32:18that I could send in a public records request, essentially.
32:21And so just like you all are having trouble finding information as to who has been detained and why, so are we.
32:28WWL?
32:29Yes, so Attorney General Liz Rowe recently, like minutes ago, just put out a press release,
32:35ordering Superintendent Kirkpatrick to cooperate with the police and Border Patrol operations.
32:43She's not here today, but what do you make of that press release as well?
32:47Do you believe that the superintendent aligns with you and the rest of your team here?
32:52The superintendent of police, Chief Kirkpatrick, is following all the laws.
32:56She is doing exactly what she needs to be doing.
32:59She is the head of a police department.
33:03Her job is to move forward with criminal laws, state and local criminal laws,
33:09and that is exactly what she's doing.
33:11To Mayor Morial's point, and a point that Chief Kirkpatrick has constantly made,
33:16is that immigration matters are civil matters,
33:19and that is not under the jurisdiction of the New Orleans Police Department.
33:21I do have a question for Mr. Romero as well.
33:24Should we come back?
33:25Yeah, you know what?
33:26Come on.
33:26Come on.
33:27Can you talk about some of the people who have been detained as far as their legal status,
33:35if they're going through the process,
33:36and do you think more people are being detained who are legal in this country
33:41compared to people who are undocumented and are not going through that process?
33:46Just as a point of reference, we don't necessarily reference people as being legal and illegal.
33:50That's not a status for a person.
33:53All people have humanity, and so that's the way we work with it.
33:57Whether they're going through the process, what we've identified and what we've seen
34:00from folks who are reaching out to us is a significant majority of the people
34:05who have reached out to us directly, that their family members have been detained,
34:08the majority of them are going through some kind of process.
34:12Whether they have permanent status yet or whether they're in the process of getting that status,
34:18that's a different question.
34:19But the majority of them are going through a process to get status,
34:23whether that be as a special immigrant juvenile who was abandoned,
34:26neglected, or abused, and therefore a state court has said that it is in their best interest
34:31to remain in the United States and get status here,
34:33or whether it's somebody who has been a victim of a crime and has cooperated with law enforcement
34:38in prosecuting that crime and therefore is eligible for a different type of visa,
34:43someone who's seeking asylum because of persecution they suffered in their home country.
34:46Whatever the situation happens to be, they're in the process.
34:49They're going through that, and that's the low-hanging fruit that ICE is targeting,
34:53is folks who are actually out and not hiding, they're not avoiding detection,
34:59they're in the system and they're going through the process.
35:04John?
35:04What would stuff you've been thinking for the non-Latino communities,
35:10particularly in the East, the East community, Muslim communities, people from like China,
35:15such a place like that, are you also reaching out and trying to get help with them,
35:18and what is the status in those parts of town?
35:20Yeah, I mean, yes to all of that.
35:24As we work with different advocacy groups, that is the approach that we're taking.
35:28And the guidance that we have put forward, one of the things that I've asked to do
35:34is that we start translating that into different languages as well.
35:40Right here, Fox, and then I'll go over this way.
35:42Yeah, go ahead, Chris.
35:43As a federal agency, I mean, what realistically do you expect to come from the demands today?
35:49Look, I mean, bottom line, the demands that we are asking is really something that I believe is so reasonable
35:55that really every American citizen should be asking for.
35:59This is about really just ensuring that there are constitutional protections
36:02and that people's rights are not violated,
36:06ensuring that when people are taken from the streets of any city,
36:11not just New Orleans, but any city, that we understand what happened to them,
36:16particularly since it's the government picking them up.
36:18I mean, all of these things are, to me, something that all Americans should get behind.
36:24This is the real crux of the issue,
36:29that it just seems that what is happening is in violation of the real order of government.
36:36And so that's the scary piece, and that's what's creating so much fear.
36:40And so I hope that, to Council President's point, Council President Morrell's point,
36:46I hope that they do follow up and provide us this information and prove us all wrong.
36:52Go ahead, Vivanola.
36:54How is the Council working with other municipalities to have them on board with this same demand?
37:00Is there being any communication with other municipalities?
37:03So I'll let other Council members, if you've weighed in on some of the others.
37:07I mean, it's important to note that, and this cap of the Council meeting the other day,
37:12that there are communities that are actually 287G cooperating with ICE,
37:17which is very different than New Orleans' position.
37:20Particular, Gretna and Kenner are actually cooperating municipalities.
37:24And so I would say that it is more than likely, on this particular issue,
37:29in the gray and New Orleans area, that New Orleans will stand alone,
37:32but that's not unique in any issue with New Orleans.
37:35When we're doing the right thing, just because other surrounding parishes don't want to do it,
37:40that's not a reason not to do it.
37:41So to your point, we have not had communications,
37:44but if some group has already gone through the 287G process to become a cooperating municipality,
37:50there's really not much point in talking to them.
37:55Telemundo, and then I'll keep moving.
37:57Do you think the Latino community can be safe in the city of New Orleans right now?
38:02Obviously, the reason why we're here is because we want to do all possible
38:13to help ensure that, one, people understand their rights
38:17and know that we, as a city government,
38:20that we are demanding much more from the federal government,
38:24and that we believe that this is something that actually has become harmful
38:29and that has gone too far,
38:30and it has a variety of different impacts to our city, including economic impacts.
38:36And do I believe that they can trust the New Orleans Police Department?
38:39Yes, I do.
38:40Okay, thank you.
38:41Yeah, we, another question alluded to what expectation you have
38:46on behalf of the federal government to comply with your requests.
38:49What legal options do you have to force their hand if they don't comply?
38:54Well, I'll tell you, as I often say, we may not always have the votes, but we have our voice.
39:01As I mentioned in my earlier comments,
39:03I intend to request that we have a field hearing here in New Orleans
39:09and compel members of Homeland, members of CBP,
39:15and the leadership and community at large
39:19to come and answer these questions that heretofore they've ignored.
39:23Light is the best, is the best sanitation to these issues,
39:29and we will continue to bring light to it,
39:32and we will enforce every bit of our energy issue.
39:35We often talk about the three Cs, the Congress, the courts, and the community,
39:40and we will work in tandem to hold those federal actors accountable.
39:45One of the chief responsibilities of members of Congress is oversight.
39:49I happen to serve on Homeland Security with direct oversight over Border Patrol.
39:54We are going to continue to use our voices, albeit in this Constitution that we have,
40:01where we have a system of checks and balances we have never seen in our history.
40:06Such a challenge.
40:07But we won't quit.
40:09As unified today by the leaders that are here, led by our mayor-elect,
40:13we will stay in this battle, and we will continue to push and to force this issue
40:18and force our federal partners to do what's right by keeping the lights bright.
40:23Let me just add one thing to your question.
40:28There are those in the civil rights community now who are evaluating,
40:35ascertaining whether there are legal options to limit, curtail, or even stop what is going on.
40:44So I think it's important for people to stay tuned.
40:48If you look at what has happened in other communities, there have been lawsuits brought.
40:54And this is the most important point.
40:58ICE and the Border Control are public employees.
41:02They're public servants.
41:04They owe an obligation to you as the media, as protectors of the First Amendment,
41:13to the mayor-elect and the elected officials here, and to the people, some answers.
41:20And I would encourage all of you to go find them, to go look for them,
41:26and to go demand those answers to these requests that are being made by the mayor-elect.
41:32Since when in this country is anybody beyond the standard of accountability?
41:41To provide no information.
41:42You know, this is what you see in China.
41:47People disappear.
41:49Their family members don't know where they are, how they are.
41:55That is not what we do in the United States of America.
42:00This is what happens in Russia and the old Soviet Union,
42:06where people are swept up, they're detained,
42:09and there is no answer as to what they're being charged with.
42:14That is why this issue is so gut-wrenching.
42:21Because it smacks of things that are fundamentally un-American.
42:27Asking for the names of people who've been detained to give some comfort to members of their family,
42:36asking what the charges are against them,
42:40giving sufficient information so that they can be represented by counsel to protect them,
42:47is a basic principle of the American legal system going all the way back to the founding of this country.
42:55We're going to stand and not allow those basic principles to be broken,
42:59to be shattered, to be trashed.
43:05And so the mayor-elect's questions deserve answers.
43:10They deserve answers very quickly.
43:12And I don't understand why anyone would not want to respond to what are a set of reasonable responses.
43:21But the civil rights community will be a participant in any options available, if necessary,
43:30to bring litigation, if litigation has merit.
43:34The other piece to your question, too, that I would just mention,
43:38is I do believe that the politics of all this is starting to turn.
43:43Even very conservative folks within our city, within our region,
43:48are believing that this is a step too far,
43:50that this has gone well beyond what it ever needed to be.
43:53And so that is why it's also so important that we are on the record with our demands,
43:58that you as a media is putting out there,
44:01like what is really happening within our city and within our region,
44:04so that as the tide turns, this political tide turns,
44:08ultimately, I'm sure that this will be undone.
44:11Go ahead, Sophie.
44:12The Attorney General has also warned of potential consequences
44:15for those who obstruct federal agents.
44:18I'm wondering how you think about the potential risks to the city
44:22when you're weighing what additional steps you might take.
44:25Well, I certainly don't believe that asking for transparency,
44:29asking for accountability of federal agencies,
44:33asking for communication by any means is obstructive.
44:37If anything, it's just a logical ask that any elected leader would have.
44:44Have you shared your concerns directly with the governor and Attorney General?
44:47I have had conversations with some members of the governor's team,
44:51not the governor directly.
44:53But obviously, I think it's been very clear, just like you're sharing with me the Attorney General's comments.
44:59I'm sure my comments over this past week have been shared with her.
45:02Is there anything that you would like to see them be doing differently?
45:06Yeah, I would like for them to help us advocate to get some of this information
45:09and ensure this level of transparency and accountability.
45:12All right, thank you all.
45:14If I could, so many people on social media, we're going to get a ton of emails, phone calls at the station
45:20supporting Border Patrol's operation and President Trump.
45:26What would you say to those people?
45:28Look, I think overall that there are immigration laws and rules for a reason.
45:34But once again, the reason why we are here is that the level of enforcement and what has happened
45:40is not what this operation was supposed to be about.
45:43Remember, everything that you've seen and all that you've been told by the federal agencies
45:46that this is about getting the most violent, the very worst of the worst.
45:49This is about getting, as I quote, the rapists, the pedophiles, and the murderers.
45:55But that's not what's happening.
45:56We are seeing mothers, young women, people who are out there trying to do work,
46:03thrown to the ground, chased around, treated like they are the most violent of violent people.
46:08But at this point, we don't have any data to ever show that that is who they are.
46:12And so that's why we're here.
46:14Look, there's a reason why there's immigration laws, no doubt about it.
46:18We're not saying not to follow immigration laws.
46:20But what is happening here where people are disappearing off of our streets
46:22and we don't even know where they went?
46:24This is a step, many, many steps way too far.
46:27All right, thank you, everybody.
46:29We've got the letter that was sent over the board.
46:36We're always going to see you.
46:37I know.
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