NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal immigration officers are pulling out of a crackdown in Louisiana and heading to Minneapolis, signaling a shift from an operation that had stirred protests and fears in immigrant communities. The abrupt departure follows a controversial enforcement strategy dubbed 'Catahoula Crunch,' which began in December with the aim of making thousands of arrests, yet resulted in only about 370 detentions by mid-December.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed a pivot towards Minnesota, where over 2,000 officers are reportedly engaging in what is described as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. The Minneapolis deployment, however, has attracted demonstrations against heightened enforcement measures, particularly after an ICE officer fatally shot a local woman, intensifying community tensions.
As the immigration operation ended in Louisiana, concerns remained regarding its impact on local immigrant populations, particularly within Hispanic enclaves, leading many businesses to temporarily close to mitigate fears of detention. Local leaders criticized the unrealistic goals of the operation and voiced opposition to how it disproportionately targeted vulnerable communities.
DHS maintains that operational details cannot be disclosed for safety reasons, but the focus is now shifting to Minneapolis in a period marked by community unrest and heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement methods.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed a pivot towards Minnesota, where over 2,000 officers are reportedly engaging in what is described as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. The Minneapolis deployment, however, has attracted demonstrations against heightened enforcement measures, particularly after an ICE officer fatally shot a local woman, intensifying community tensions.
As the immigration operation ended in Louisiana, concerns remained regarding its impact on local immigrant populations, particularly within Hispanic enclaves, leading many businesses to temporarily close to mitigate fears of detention. Local leaders criticized the unrealistic goals of the operation and voiced opposition to how it disproportionately targeted vulnerable communities.
DHS maintains that operational details cannot be disclosed for safety reasons, but the focus is now shifting to Minneapolis in a period marked by community unrest and heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement methods.
