A defining moment for New Orleans' first Latina mayor
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photo: Courtesy of the Moreno campaign.
Mayor Helena Moreno — New Orleans' first Latina mayor — says it's "imperative" that she speaks up during what she describes as a "very challenging time" for Latinos facing increased targeting.
Why it matters: Moreno's background wasn't central to her campaign, but it's now shaping how she governs — from speaking out against immigration enforcement tactics to pushing for city services that reach residents in their own language.
The big picture: Moreno was born in Mexico to an American mom and a Mexican dad.
- "I look a certain way because of my mom ... She's got a lot of Swedish in her," Moreno tells Axios in an exclusive interview.
- "But my brother and my father are dark-skinned, and so I think about the profiling that's happening, and to me, it becomes very personal because that is my family, you know?"
- She's been open during her political career about her childhood, but she campaigned on her experience and her ability to get things done.
The friction point: When President Trump sent Border Patrol agents to New Orleans for immigration enforcement in December, Moreno was newly elected but hadn't yet taken office.
- While then-Mayor LaToya Cantrell was relatively quiet, Moreno talked publicly about the fear she was seeing in the immigrant community.
- Moreno and the City Council then created a portal for people to report potential abuse from federal agents.
- Last month, she testified at a congressional field hearing, calling the operation a "cruel, divisive agenda lacking humanity."
What she's saying: "I feel so clearly in my gut and so deeply that my job is to always do all possible to protect the people of New Orleans, including those who may be in my city undocumented," Moreno told Axios last week.
- She says it is "imperative" to talk about the "cruelty of what's happening" and the "real need for immigration reform."
- We need to "figure out that path for those who are in our country undocumented, but who are doing the right thing and want to be productive citizens," she says.
Zoom in: Moreno tapped Jenny Mains as her deputy mayor of economic development — and the city's first Latina deputy mayor.
- Mains is a Honduran American entrepreneur and gave part of her introductory speech last month in Spanish.
- Moreno responded to her comments in Spanish. Watch the exchange around the 28-minute mark.
- Moreno later told Axios that she speaks "excellent Spanglish," but when she needs to have a "super technical" conversation in Spanish, "it's a little trickier for me to get the message out precisely the way I want to get it out."
What's next: Moreno and Mains both said they'd like to improve access to information in other languages.
- Moreno wants more bilingual 911 operators.
- Some city information is available in Spanish and Vietnamese, but Moreno wants to see more of that down the road, including press conferences and social media.
- The goal is to talk with everybody in their language, Mains told Axios. "That's what we're trying to tell our community here — we see you, we hear you and we are here for you."