Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a new federal enforcement surge in New Orleans, directly targeting the dangerous failures of sanctuary city policies. The initiative, codenamed Operation Catahoula Crunch, aims to arrest criminal noncitizens released from local custody despite federal detainer requests.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed the local leaders who enabled the chaos. She warned, “Sanctuary policies endanger American communities by releasing illegal criminal aliens and forcing DHS law enforcement to risk their lives to remove criminal illegal aliens that should have never been put back on the streets.”
The rage in the administration is clear. McLaughlin confirmed, "It is asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims."
The operation is targeting the “worst of the worst” offenders who were set free by soft-on-crime policies. Catahoula Crunch targets include violent criminals arrested for armed robbery, home invasion, grand theft auto, and rape.
McLaughlin confirmed that under President Donald Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem, the mission is simple. She said, “We are restoring law and order for the American people.”
DHS highlighted egregious cases of offenders released back into the community. One man, Juan Ramon Dubon-Argueta, was previously removed but was arrested again on charges including aggravated assault with a firearm, child endangerment, and home invasion.
Another offender, Jose Fernando Arzu-Osorto, was arrested for indecent behavior with a juvenile and armed robbery. He was later re-arrested for armed robbery after the sanctuary city released him.
Vu Hoang Pham, a convicted felon, was released despite being arrested for aggravated battery, grand theft auto, and battery of a police officer. These are the violent criminals that local Democrat policies willingly put back onto American streets.
ICE officials confirmed that arrests will continue in the coming days as federal officers pursue these threats. The mission proves that the Trump administration will not tolerate sanctuary policies that threaten public safety.