Federal immigration agents continued operations in New Orleans this week, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol detaining more than 250 people, the Department of Homeland Security said. The campaign, dubbed Operation Catahoula Crunch by DHS, is described by the department as targeting “dangerous criminals.”
DHS has not published a complete list of those detained, instead releasing limited sample lists. CBS News reviewed the publicly available information and found detailed records for only a small portion of the total arrests. According to that analysis, public details exist for 23 of roughly 250 people DHS reports having taken into custody. Of those 23, eight are listed with convictions, 15 are shown only as having been arrested on allegations, and nine are identified as Honduran nationals.
Among the convictions noted in the samples are serious crimes such as homicide and rape. The sample also includes lesser offenses, including a marijuana possession conviction and an arrest for public urination. While DHS says the operation is focused on noncitizens with criminal records, officials have not released a full roster or comprehensive case information.
The limited disclosure has drawn criticism and demands for greater transparency from state and local leaders, who say residents are anxious and confused. Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, a Republican, asked the federal government to explain why some people who appear to have valid reasons to be in the city—such as household workers—have been detained. He said the enforcement activity has created fear among people who are legally present and employed.
Local reports and community members have described encounters suggesting agents sometimes approach people who may not be undocumented. Video that circulated earlier in the week shows a woman running as agents move in. In another episode reported by CBS affiliate WWL, two men who presented legal work paperwork were reportedly handcuffed, placed in an unmarked vehicle, driven around the block, and then released. A restaurant manager told the station the incident unsettled customers and staff; the workers’ family later said they were too shaken to speak on camera.
DHS has issued statements defending the enforcement action and arguing that New Orleans’ sanctuary-style policies have put residents and visitors at risk. The department says the operation is ongoing and that those arrested could be held at detention facilities along the Gulf Coast while immigration removal proceedings proceed. Local officials continue to press federal authorities for clearer information about who has been detained, the specific charges or allegations, and where detainees are being held.