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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 5, 2025
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Mayor-Elect Moreno, Rep. Carter, City Council, and Community Leaders Demand Transparency and Accountability in Border Patrol Operation
 NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 5, 2025) — New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.), New Orleans city councilmembers, and a broad coalition of civic, legal, business, and faith leaders gathered today to call for transparency, accountability, and the protection of civil rights as U.S. Customs and Border Protection carries out “Operation Catahoula Crunch” in New Orleans.
“We fully recognize federal law and federal enforcement authority. But as leaders of New Orleans, we also have a responsibility to ensure that any operation in our city is conducted transparently, constitutionally, and with respect for our residents. Our priorities are protecting public safety, safeguarding people’s rights, and maintaining trust between government and the community,” said Mayor-elect Moreno. “Today, we are making clear to Border Patrol what New Orleans expects. New Orleanians deserve accountability, clarity, and respect from every level of government, and we will always stand up for those principles.”
The City Council sent a formal letter to Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, outlining their concerns and requesting immediate clarity regarding how the operation is being conducted. The letter, attached to this release, calls for open communication with city leaders and clear standards that protect constitutional rights and ensure public safety.
Mayor-elect Moreno reaffirmed that New Orleans supports lawful, constitutional enforcement that prioritizes genuine threats to public safety. She emphasized that the city’s progress in reducing violent crime depends on public trust and collaboration, not fear.
The program included Mayor-elect Moreno, Rep. Carter, Council President JP Morrell joined by fellow councilmembers, National Urban League President Marc Morial, Homero López of Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy, Mayra Pineda of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, ACLU Advocacy Director Sarah Whittington, and local clergy, among others.
“I stand proudly and in unity with our mayor-elect, our city council members, and our local leaders as we address the concerns surrounding recent federal activity in our community. We want federal partners who work with us, not around us. We want accountability. We want clarity. And we want enforcement efforts that strengthen public trust instead of shaking it,” said Congressman Carter.
Community leaders, including representatives from civil rights organizations, immigrant service providers, business associations, and faith institutions, expressed solidarity in seeking federal cooperation that aligns with the values of New Orleans.
“The demands put forward by the mayor-elect and city council today are entirely reasonable. They reflect the fundamental obligation of local leaders to protect the public and safeguard the rights of the people they serve,” said National Urban League President Marc Morial. “The civil rights community is monitoring these activities all across the nation, and we will continue to speak out. And no one here is going to be intimidated by rhetoric, whether it comes from Baton Rouge, Washington, or anywhere in terms of standing up for the dignity of human beings in this city.”
Councilmember JP Morrell said, “The federal government says that they are here to detain 5000 immigrants with violent criminal records. Instead, we are seeing mothers being chased down the street by masked officers and innocent people being kidnapped, regardless of immigration status. I do not believe that Border Patrol officers are here to make us safer, but to instill fear and danger in an attempt to control the City of New Orleans. This is not public safety; this is a witch hunt that is built on the backs of our most vulnerable residents. I call on the federal government to be transparent and provide us with basic information about their operations here in the Greater New Orleans area and who they are arresting. This City Council will do everything in its power to keep our residents safe, regardless of their immigration status, skin color, or ethnicity.”
Councilmember Joe Giarrusso said, “Government's most basic functions are to provide public safety and conditions for economic growth and do so with transparency. Operation Catahoula Crunch does not appear to be committed to those principles. Remember, deportation was to be for the worst criminal offenders. Currently, we do not know who has been detained and for what violent crime. Moreover, businesses are being hurt both by employees afraid to show up and also not being patronized. Asking for fundamental information should not be met with silence.”
Councilmember Lesli Harris said, “The idea that they can reach a 5,000-person arrest target of ‘the worst of the worst’ is mathematically impossible. Instead, we’re seeing mothers, teenagers, and workers detained — and even video of U.S. citizens being chased by masked individuals in unmarked cars on their way home. Our letter today calls on CBP and all federal and state agencies to treat our residents with dignity and respect their constitutional rights.”
Councilmember Freddie King said, "We cannot let fear and confusion replace fairness and justice. Every person in New Orleans deserves to be treated with dignity, no matter their background. Enforcement must be transparent, lawful, and focused on true public safety—not on creating chaos in our neighborhoods.”
Councilmember Eugene Green said, “The commitment of the New Orleans City Council relative to the request of sharing of information by federal authorities and to the protection of the constitutional rights of all is clear. This city has become safer because of proactive work on the part of the City Council that included the oversight of training and providing resources to those who have the knowledge and skills that keep our people safe. It is important to note that the federal Consent Decree under which our police department was trained included de-escalation and conducting operations in a manner that respected & utilized the tenets of the U. S. Constitution. We want everyone in our city and region to be granted the protections of the U. S. Constitution. I call on the federal government to be proactive and committed to the City of New Orleans and the U.S. Constitution which makes this country unique and the envy of the world.”
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Contact:
Chief of Staff
Office of City Council Vice President Helena Moreno
504.658.1063
Sayde.Finkel@nola.gov
 New Orleans City Council
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of the New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has the final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.
The City Council is comprised of five districts and Councilmembers-at-large: Council President and Councilmember-at-Large JP Morrell; Council Vice President and Councilmember-At-Large Helena Moreno; District "A" Councilmember Joseph I. Giarrusso, III; District "B" Councilmember Lesli D. Harris; District "C" Councilmember Freddie King III; District "D" Councilmember Eugene J. Green, Jr.; and District "E" Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Jr.
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