By DC, Staff Writer – Latinola
In what should be a season of joy, dozens of families across Kenner, Gretna, and New Orleans are living in fear and silence. On December 3, just weeks before Christmas, federal immigration authorities launched a sweeping enforcement campaign that has left immigrant communities reeling — with loved ones missing, neighborhoods locked down, and holiday traditions abandoned.
The operation, officially titled Catahoula Crunch by the Department of Homeland Security, has involved masked agents in unmarked cars detaining individuals everywhere from sidewalks to gas stations. Residents describe a city on edge, where honking horns, shouted warnings, and social media alerts have become a kind of grassroots survival system.
Children are reportedly missing school. One school board member, who asked to remain anonymous, said they are unsure whether some families will return at all. Even U.S. citizens, they said, fear that if they “look the wrong color,” they could be detained. Parents are avoiding clinics and grocery stores. In some cases, families say they haven’t heard from their spouses or siblings in days — unsure whether they’ve been detained, deported, or simply disappeared into the system.
Legal advocates say detainees are being held in overcrowded, unhygienic facilities. Multiple families report that their loved ones have been unable to shower, access medical care, or speak with an attorney. Some say their relatives were taken without being shown warrants or even told why they were being arrested.
With a rumored federal goal of 5,000 arrests and Louisiana identified as a key target, critics fear that quotas are replacing transparency. The silence from federal agencies has only deepened the anxiety.
“I’ve lived here 20 years,” said one resident. “But now I’m scared to leave the house. I don’t recognize this country anymore.”
