DHS launches new immigration crackdown operation in New Orleans

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched its newest immigration crackdown operation in New Orleans aimed at capturing “criminal illegal aliens.”

In its announcement of Operation Catahoula Crunch, DHS said the federal crackdown was targeting illegal immigrants who were arrested for crimes and then subsequently released due to sanctuary policies. The department said that such polices “force” local law enforcement to “ignore” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest detainers.

“Sanctuary policies endanger American communities by releasing illegal criminal aliens and forcing DHS law enforcement to risk their lives to remove criminal illegal aliens that should have never been put back on the streets,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“It is asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims. Catahoula Crunch targets include violent criminals who were released after arrest for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto, and rape,” she said. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are restoring law and order for the American people.”

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In its announcement, DHS included several examples of illegal immigrants who were released from custody despite their criminal records. Those on the list were arrested for crimes such as aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, driving under the influence, home invasion and sexual battery, among others.

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick sparked backlash last week after saying that illegal immigration by foreign nationals in the U.S. is a “civil issue” and that her agency would not enforce certain immigration laws.

“We will not enforce civil law, and so our support is to make sure they’re not going to get hurt and our community is not in danger,” Kirkpatrick said.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on social media that she spoke with Kirkpatrick about the remarks and reaffirmed that “it is a state crime to obstruct ICE and federal immigration enforcement.”

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The Trump administration has put an emphasis on its crackdown on illegal immigration, with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem accusing the Biden administration of using DHS to “invade the country with terrorists.”

“If you think about what Joe Biden did with the Department of Homeland Security, he used this department to invade the country with terrorists. He opened up the borders, let anybody come in that wanted to,” Noem said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “He put ’em on airplanes, he let them through our airports, where if they could figure out a way to get to our shores and in our country, he just opened the door and invited them in. So, it’s our job to get ’em out.”

On Tuesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released new guidance pausing immigration from 19 countries, 12 of which were on full travel bans while the other seven were under partial restrictions. The impacted nations are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

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The immigration pause, which is effective immediately, applies to nationals from the 19 listed nations who entered the U.S. on or after Jan. 20, 2021, the date of former President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Migrants from one of the 19 countries who came into the U.S. after that date will be subjected to a re-review process that could include an interview to screen for all possible national security and public safety risks.

It also impacts all green card and citizenship applications for anyone hailing from one of the now-restricted countries. Individuals from one of the 19 nations who have already passed the citizenship test will not be able to have U.S. citizenship ceremonies until after the guidance is lifted.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.