New Orleans mayor-elect Helena Moreno, joined Friday by community, and religious leaders, said it does not look like federal immigration sweeps are gong after dangerous, violent criminals like the Department of Homeland Security claims.
"While we of course firmly believe that the most dangerous and violent offenders must be taken off of our streets, unfortunately it does not appear that these are the people being targets by 'Operation Catahoula Crunch,'" said Moreno.
"We have businesses that are closing. We have workers, afraid to show up," Moreno continued. "Ultimately, there is an economic impact, a negative economic impact."
Moreno said the information they want includes information on stops, warrants, and detentions; information on civil rights compliance and oversight; information on the number of individuals detained in New Orleans and the legal reason for it; whether anyone who was taken into custody did not have a warrant out for their arrest; and if any of the people detained have violent criminal histories.
Moreno and New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick are also asking federal immigration agents to stop covering their faces with masks.
Official statements from the Trump administration say the operation seeks to remove 5,000 individuals Moreno said the government describes as "rapists, pedophiles, and murderers."
New Orleans City Council President J.P. Morrell said that does not sound like good law enforcement methods to him.
"I will tell you that, as someone who has studied law enforcement for a very long time, you should never trust a quota," sad Morrell. "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."
Morrell said the lack of transparency and information on who they are arresting and why is troubling.
U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino told our partners at NOLA.com that he thinks their operation "is about as transparent as it gets."