NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Police Department is facing significant backlash after ICE detained a police recruit, alleging violations of federal immigration laws.
Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Larry Temah, a 46-year-old national from Cameroon, who had been in the NOPD police academy and was just months away from graduation. He entered the United States in 2015 on a visitor visa and had acquired conditional residency in 2016 after marrying a U.S. citizen. However, his application for permanent residency was denied in 2022 over claims of fraud.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated, Criminal illegal aliens have no place in our communities — especially on our police forces. In response, NOPD spokesperson Reese Harper called the DHS remarks about Temah misleading, claiming the department had verified his employment status through an official DHS system and were only notified on his arrest date.
“New Orleans is not a sanctuary city,” Harper stressed, asserting that the department has not knowingly violated any laws.
The incident highlights tensions between local law enforcement and federal immigration policies, especially after recent federal operations targeting immigration violations in New Orleans, which are now reportedly paused.
NOPD chief Anne Kirkpatrick noted that no issues regarding Temah's eligibility had been identified during the hiring process, with the recruit having lived in the U.S. for over a decade without any criminal record.
The DHS and its statements, along with the intricacies of immigrant monitoring within policing, are under scrutiny as the case unfolds.
