NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge has allowed the state of Louisiana to intervene in the Cacho v. Gusman case, a lawsuit that oversees how the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office handles requests from immigration authorities to hold people in jail.

Since 2013, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has been under a federal court order that limits its cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The order prevents deputies from investigating a person’s immigration status or holding someone for ICE unless there’s a court order or the person is charged with a violent crime.

The policy was established through 2011 civil rights lawsuit, Cacho v. Gusman. Before the case, the sheriff's office accepted detainer requests, but the lawsuit claimed the policy exceeded what federal law permi

See Full Page