When federal authorities on Wednesday announced the launch of a prolonged immigration sweep in the New Orleans area, they tied the operation to “sanctuary policies” that prevent cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Department of Homeland Security officials said the policies “force local authorities to ignore” Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers' requests to jail inmates for 48 hours past their release dates, so that ICE can transfer them to federal custody for immigration enforcement, according to a Wednesday press release.

Officials did not say which local agencies have those policies, but they may have been referring to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, which refuses ICE detainer requests as a requirement of a 2013 federal court settlement. The settlemen

See Full Page