New Orleans Immigration Crackdown: 5,000 Arrests, Zero Accountability
While the AP dutifully records New Orleans officials calling the 5,000-arrest target 'not realistic' given the city's immigrant population size (under 100,000 foreign-born residents), it skips the uncomfortable historical context. This isn't just about 'violent offenders'; it's about manufacturing a visible crisis. These targets, based on numbers pulled from regions 100 times larger like Los
Angeles (where 5,000 arrests happened across 10 million foreign-born residents), reek of performance theater designed to justify raids, not address actual crime. One might wonder if the 'violent offenders' are simply whoever can be rounded up when a certain quota needs to be met, turning people into metrics. The AP notes the number of arrests needed would 'surpass' a previous Chicago blitz,
another instance where targets took precedence over local realities. This drive to criminalize populations, especially those considered 'other,' has a distinct historical echo, long preceding the current administration.