NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents were set to begin staging in New Orleans Friday for Operation Swamp Sweep, according to Associated Press sources.
The two-month immigration crackdown aims to arrest about 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi in the coming weeks, AP sources said.
New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno launched a website for the city’s immigrant communities, encouraging people to know their rights. Meanwhile, Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley said he supports the operation.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Conley said. “We’re here to support their mission if they need any kind of assistance. We have relationships with all our federal partners, HSI, ICE, Border Patrol, through different task forces.”
Mixed reactions across region
The city of Kenner is 30 percent Hispanic. Conley said residents shouldn’t be concerned about the federal operation.
“I don’t think you have to be fearful unless you have something to be fearful about,” Conley said. “They have the databases: ICE, Border Patrol, these federal agencies have the databases. They have the ability to determine a person’s status, not the local police departments. We don’t have those resources.”
Sue Weishar, a former policy and research fellow at the Jesuit Social Research Institute, criticized the operation.
“This is an absolutely terrifying time,” Weishar said. “We have federal troops coming to our city, federal agents uninvited, unneeded to terrorize community members, the same community members who were the work force that save New Orleans after (Hurricane) Katrina.”
Weishar praised Moreno’s response to the operation.
“I’m just so delighted and, if I can say, proud that we have elected a mayor who sees this for what it is, a real test of our democracy and the decency of the American people,” Weishar said.
ICE addresses school concerns
On Friday, ICE responded to concerns that it may conduct sweeps at schools, saying claims of “ICE at schools” is misinformation and that it could otherwise be near schools during routine enforcement.
Conley encouraged the community to be aware of online false claims.
“I tell people to be aware of what they see on social media, some mainstream media. I see some reports sometimes. It’s not incorrect, but it’s sensationalized in some different aspects, so I don’t think you’re getting both sides of the story,” Conley said.
Conley said anyone who feels agents have acted improperly should contact the FBI or local law enforcement.
“If anybody feels that that’s in play that that happens, they should reach out to the FBI, local law enforcement. We all got internal affairs departments,” Conley said.
ICE said Customs and Border Patrol is leading Operation Swamp Sweep. Border Patrol said Friday it won’t comment on any of its operations.
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