Federal immigration authorities have initiated a significant enforcement operation in New Orleans, marking a new phase in efforts to apprehend undocumented immigrants with violent criminal histories who remain at large in the community.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the launch of “Operation Catahoula Crunch” on December 3, 2025, describing the initiative as a targeted effort to locate and detain what officials term “criminal aliens roaming free” throughout the metropolitan area.
According to agency officials, the operation specifically focuses on undocumented immigrants who have previously been arrested for violent crimes but were subsequently released from local custody. This situation has created what federal authorities view as a public safety concern in the region.
The enforcement action comes amid ongoing tensions between federal immigration officials and New Orleans’ local government over sanctuary city policies. These municipal regulations significantly limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly regarding detainer requests for individuals already in police custody on separate charges.
Under the current sanctuary policies, local authorities are restricted from honoring ICE detainer requests, which are formal notices asking jails to hold individuals beyond their scheduled release date so federal agents can take them into custody for immigration proceedings.
Federal officials argue that these policies create gaps in public safety by allowing individuals with violent criminal backgrounds to return to the streets rather than being transferred to federal custody for potential deportation proceedings.
The operation’s name references Louisiana’s state dog, the Catahoula Leopard Dog, reflecting the federal government’s approach to what it characterizes as tracking down individuals who pose risks to community safety.
This enforcement action represents part of broader federal efforts to address what Homeland Security officials describe as challenges created by sanctuary jurisdiction policies across the United States. The department has consistently maintained that such policies interfere with immigration enforcement and potentially compromise public safety.
The timing and scope of Operation Catahoula Crunch underscore the ongoing debate between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local community policing strategies, particularly in jurisdictions that have adopted sanctuary policies to encourage immigrant communities to cooperate with local law enforcement without fear of deportation.
As the operation continues, federal agents are working to identify and apprehend specific individuals who meet the criteria established for this enforcement priority, focusing resources on those with documented histories of violent criminal activity.
