A recruit who had a valid driver’s license and Social Security number was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will be in the removal process, the New Orleans Police Department said.
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick announced the development during a press conference on Wednesday. She did not name the person but said he had begun the hiring process in June of last year and a judge ordered his removal on December 5.
Newsweek reached out to the New Orleans Police Department and ICE for additional information and comment.
Why It Matters
Immigration enforcement has been a key focus of President Donald Trump’s administration. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security announced that enforcement operations have resulted in more than 605,000 deportations since January 20, 2025, the day Trump took office for his second term.
What To Know
Kirkpatrick said the department has spoken with ICE about the arrest. She said there was no struggle involved and the person was taken into custody “without any incident whatsoever.”
“When we were doing the hiring process, there was nothing that was in the packet that would have us have reason to believe that this person did not have legal status,” Kirkpatrick said. “There is some question that may have developed later.”
Kirkpatrick said the recruit passed the E-Verify system, which the department uses to check immigration status.
Kirkpatrick said the ICE field director told her that the recruit did not have a criminal history, which the police department also checks for during the hiring process.
“He cleared that,” Kirkpatrick said.
The individual had been in the country for 10 years, according to Kirkpatrick.
She said there “would not have been a reason or flag” to question the man’s immigration status on the police department’s end.
What People Are Saying
New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, during a press conference: “I’m glad to know that on our end, we did the due diligence. We were not lax in all of the things that we would normally do.”
What Happens Next
“He is in custody,” Kirkpatrick said, “and I have been told that he will not be given a bond hearing and that he will be in the process of a removal.”
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