Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is turning up the heat on New Orleans police leadership amid a new federal immigration push in the metro area.
In a letter to New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick on Friday, Murrill urged immediate, full collaboration with federal immigration authorities, framing the issue as a public safety and state law obligation.
"I write to caution that the New Orleans Police Department's (NOPD) policies appear to conflict with current state law and also may be interpreted as 'sanctuary' policies specifically designed and implemented to frustrate, hinder, and prevent cooperation and assistance to ICE as it fulfills its critical immigration enforcement mission in New Orleans," Murrill wrote.
"As Superintendent of NOPD you are responsible for the issuance and implementation of departmental policies. Policies that fundamentally require officers and employees to refuse to cooperate with ICE except in very limited circumstances violate Louisiana law and could subject the offender to felony prosecution for malfeasance in office pursuant to La. R.S. § 14:134."
She added, "Further, a person commits a federal felony if they, 'knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals, harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place.'"
Murrill's demand comes as the Trump administration's "Catahoula Crunch" enforcement surge rolls through southeast Louisiana, with federal agents aiming for thousands of arrests in the New Orleans region and surrounding parishes.
The operation has already sparked protests and accusations of racial profiling after agents detained people in public places, including parking lots and bus stops, according to advocacy groups and local reporting.
Community leaders say fear is rippling through immigrant neighborhoods, with some businesses closing and residents avoiding daily routines.
Murrill's letter also lands days after Kirkpatrick drew backlash for remarks suggesting immigration violations are largely a federal "civil issue" rather than a local enforcement priority.
Critics argued the comments signaled resistance to partnering with ICE and Customs and Border Protection at the very moment federal activity is escalating.
"There is no absolution in suggesting that immigration enforcement laws are a 'civil issue,' and, on that basis, NOPD cannot assist or support ICE and CBP in their enforcement efforts," Murrill wrote.
The attorney general's message did not stop at cooperation. She warned that NOPD policies must align with Louisiana's immigration enforcement statutes, which state leaders have increasingly used to pressure local agencies into helping federal efforts.
"Because we have a common interest in the safety and security of all New Orleans residents, I look forward to working with her and the New Orleans Police Department to ensure its policies and actions comply with state law," Murrill added.
City officials have not announced any immediate policy changes in response. But the clash highlights a growing fault line: state and federal leaders arguing for aggressive joint enforcement versus local officials and immigrant advocates warning that broad sweeps deter crime reporting and fracture trust.
With federal agents now a visible presence across the city, Murrill's letter sets up a test of how far New Orleans will go to cooperate — and how hard Baton Rouge is willing to push if it doesn't.
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