Federal immigration enforcement will intensify in Louisiana this week, as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents prepare to launch a targeted operation Monday, Univision News has learned. The operation focuses on identifying and detaining individuals lacking legal immigration status, a move signaling a renewed emphasis on interior enforcement.
Louisiana currently has an estimated 110,000 undocumented immigrants, representing 2.4% of the state’s population, according to 2023 data from the Pew Research Center. Many originate from Honduras. This action arrives amid ongoing debate over immigration policy and follows years of shifting federal priorities, notably a stricter stance during the Trump administration.
While Louisiana’s overall immigrant population remains relatively low-6.7% of nearly 400,000 residents-the Hispanic community has experienced growth as Hurricane katrina in 2005,now comprising approximately 14% of the state’s population,according to the Data Center,a New Orleans-based research institution. The impending CBP operation raises concerns among immigrant advocates about potential family separations and the impact on local communities.
The operation’s timing and scope suggest a continuation of policies implemented during the Trump administration, which prioritized increased immigration enforcement across the United States. The Biden administration has maintained a focus on border security while also emphasizing addressing the root causes of migration, but interior enforcement operations continue to be carried out by agencies like CBP.
