What we know about possible federal deployments in New Orleans
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U.S. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino, who led immigration enforcement missions in Los Angeles and Chicago, is now leading troops on a similar mission in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
New Orleans could spend the holidays with extra guests.
Why it matters: With an outstanding Gov. Jeff Landry request for the National Guard and reports circulating that Border Patrol is heading here, federal law enforcement agents could soon be spotted on local streets, though they'd likely arrive with very different missions.
The latest: Neither agency has yet confirmed when or if they plan to deploy to New Orleans.
- But ABC News reported Monday that multiple law enforcement sources confirmed about 200 Border Patrol agents will head here by the end of the week for "Operation Catahoula Crunch."
- When pressed for an update Monday, a spokesman with U.S. Customs and Border Protection pointed Axios New Orleans to a Department of Homeland Security statement that said "we will not stop enforcing the laws of our nation until every criminal illegal alien is arrested and removed from our country."
- Landry's spokeswoman also said Monday she did not yet have an update on either the National Guard request or Border Patrol reports.
Between the lines: The Trump administration has made a point this year to tap federal law enforcement agencies to crack down on undocumented immigrants and urban violence, primarily within Democrat-led cities, despite local protest and a flurry of legal challenges.
- Trump has sent the National Guard to places like Washington, D.C., Portland and Memphis.
- And Border Patrol agents have pursued immigration-focused missions in Chicago and now Charlotte, where dozens have already been arrested.
Zoom in: Though we don't know for sure if federal agents will come to New Orleans, we can learn from those deployments what it might look like if they do arrive.
The National Guard would bolster local law enforcement. The agencies have already met in anticipation of a deployment, leaders have said.
- Landry's request specifically mentions goals to "supplement law enforcement presence in high-crime areas, provide logistical and communication support, and secure critical infrastructure."
- The move would repeat roles from previous New Orleans deployments which placed troops in high-visibility areas, allowing NOPD to focus on other, high-crime neighborhoods.
- Though as governor Landry can deploy the Louisiana National Guard at any time, Trump's approval would mean the federal government foots the bill.
Border Patrol agents operate under DHS but are separate from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which recently worked with Kenner Police Department on a Lake Town-area raid.
- On its own recent missions, Border Patrol seems to operate singularly and require less stringent criteria than local law enforcement to detain a person, according to a New York Times interview with Border Patrol chief patrol agent Greg Bovino.
- The agents require only "reasonable suspicion," which Bovino described as "an even lower standard than probable cause" based on case-by-case "articulable facts."
Between the lines: Bovino, who previously led the Border Patrol's New Orleans office, led the agency's missions in Los Angeles and Chicago.
- He's also in command of the Charlotte deployment.
What we're watching: Local leaders expect a National Guard deployment could assist New Orleans law enforcement with Thanksgiving crowds, but the timing of federal agencies arriving beyond that remains unclear.
This story has been updated with details on a possible Border Patrol deployment timeline.