NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has found itself in the spotlight following the detention of police recruit Larry Temah by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Temah, a 46-year-old national from Cameroon, is currently in custody and awaiting deportation.

Temah, who was training in the police academy at the time of his arrest, had entered the U.S. in 2015 on a visitor visa and had been granted conditional residency in 2016 after marrying a U.S. citizen. However, his path to permanent residency was thwarted in 2022 when his application was denied due to alleged fraud.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that individuals with illegal criminal backgrounds should not be part of community law enforcement, stating that “criminal illegal aliens have no place in our communities.”

However, NOPD spokesperson Reese Harper refuted these claims, asserting that misleading statements had been made regarding the department's knowledge of Temah's case. According to Harper, the NOPD verified Temah’s employment eligibility through DHS's verification system and had not been informed of any intent to detain him until the day of his arrest.

“New Orleans is not a sanctuary city,” Harper added emphatically, countering claims that NOPD had violated the law. He further mentioned that Temah had not been issued a firearm since he was still in training.

This incident reflects ongoing tensions between local authorities and federal immigration policies, especially following Operation Catahoula Crunch, a sweeping immigration operation initiated in December 2022 that has seen its focus shift to other areas, such as Minneapolis.

Chief Anne Kirkpatrick noted that no legal issues had surfaced during Temah's hiring process, underscoring that he had lived in the U.S. for nearly a decade, had a valid driver’s license and Social Security card, and boasted a clean criminal record.

As this situation unfolds, the NOPD remains vigilant, and questions linger about the processes that allowed Temah to be hired at all. While DHS has been approached for clarity regarding the contradiction between Temah's employment eligibility and the fraudulent claims, their responses have been limited.

---

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.