Washington [US], December 4: U.S. immigration officials kicked off an operation in New Orleans to arrest immigrants in the U.S. illegally, federal officials said on Wednesday, making it the latest city to be targeted by President Donald Trump's crackdown.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the operation would target criminal offenders who had been released from local custody due to city policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Trump, a Republican, has ordered such operations in Democratic-led cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C., in a bid to drive deportations to record levels.
The office of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the New Orleans Police Department.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, has supported federal immigration enforcement efforts, and did so again in a Wednesday interview with local radio. Landry's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Residents and local officials in cities targeted by the immigration crackdown have pushed back, saying Border Patrol and ICE agents have swept in many people with no criminal record and have used heavy-handed tactics that endangered residents.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
