New Orleans has become ground zero for this controversial debate. A few weeks ago, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made headlines when they arrested a bunch of journalists and observers during their operations. Rachel Taber, an organizer with Unión Migrante, has been the force behind these exciting developments. Along the way, she explains how the administration’s approach has created a climate of fear and confusion among residents of this burgeoning community.
On Wednesday, Taber captured a video that she shared with The Guardian, showing masked border patrol agents detaining a man in the parking lot of a Lowe’s on Elysian Fields Avenue. The footage has since transmitted to the internet, resulting in outrage and concern among residents.
Taber said that when one of her friends was trying to sell his truck to pay rent…She stressed the extreme difficulty he would face if he lost his vehicle during the current operations. This vehicle is crucial to his livelihood. The lack of clarity about what would happen to those seized has kept many members of the community on edge.
“The institutional darkness surrounding what happened to the man in the video still blows my mind,” Taber shared. His concern is a testament to the dangerous fact of these interactions. She filed three individual reports on each incident. In every instance, U.S. citizens were arrested and held for questioning, but eventually released after demonstrating their citizenship.
Not even a week later, the situation has escalated considerably, with Taber recording 14 arrests on Wednesday and four arrests by Thursday morning.
“It’s almost like a siege,” she said, reflecting on the atmosphere of fear that’s fallen over the community.
Taber expressed her disappointment with the apprehensions in a statement. This is a very dangerous precedent to set because they’re not targeting criminals. She continued, “They’re just grabbing anybody off the streets – moms and dads coming home from work, ambushed as they step out of their cars.”
The impacts of these operations go far beyond the people they arrest. For Mich Gonzalez, a local resident and frequent artist house guest at BIPOC, “little kids aren’t able to go to school right now. Taxis were dangerous, unreliable, and expensive. They are now missing appointments, unable to take their elderly, disabled parents to medical appointments. The ripple effects are being felt across the community, impacting daily life and delivery of critical services.
Gonzalez emphasized the economic repercussions when he said, “Grocery stores are going to be hurting and businesses will be hurting. This city… is built on hospitality. Who do you think washes all the dishes in those restaurants? Far from being an isolated issue, these types of remarks highlight the community impact of the increased enforcement actions.
Community members are becoming more vocal and organized with their opposition to these types of actions. Additionally, Taber made it clear that citizens of New Orleans strongly oppose this problem. Their position is an indication of the increasing backlash against practices seen by many as flagrant abuses.
She referred to the campaign as “psychological warfare.” In this second example, individuals are targeted just based on what they look like—not because they’ve engaged in any real criminal activity. According to Taber, “it’s just straight racial profiling,” underscoring that these operations are creating fear, not safety within communities.
The emotional toll is just as real, and it weighs heavy on Taber, who mourns the lasting impacts these decisions could have on families. This Christmas, many kids will not only have no presents under their tree. They will encounter the ultimate tragedy of being parentless,” she pointed out.
A poignant account from a 22-year-old U.S.-born mother illustrated the fear faced by many during these operations. She recounted her distress when confronted by agents: “I kept yelling at them, ‘I’m legal! I’m a US-born citizen! Please, leave me alone! I’m going home; my daughter is in the house. My baby is waiting for me!’”
As ICE operations continue in New Orleans, residents remain on edge, grappling with both immediate fears and long-term implications for their community.