NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal immigration crackdown began Wednesday in New Orleans under an operation that a Homeland Security official described as targeting violent criminals, expanding the Trump administration’s enforcement measures seen in other U.S. cities.

The operation aims to apprehend immigrants who were released following arrests for severe crimes like home invasion, armed robbery, and rape, according to Homeland Security Department Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. While the number of agents deployed for this operation remains unspecified, preparations by Louisiana for this crackdown have been ongoing for weeks, with support from Republican Governor Jeff Landry, a close ally of Trump.

“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,” McLaughlin stated.

This operation in New Orleans follows similar immigration crackdowns launched in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Governor Landry aligns his state policies with the White House's stringent enforcement agenda, emphasizing a collaborative effort between local and federal law enforcement to enhance community safety.}