ICE Detention Rocks Major Blue City After Startling Discovery
ICE Detains Illegal Alien Recruit Hired by New Orleans Police
A New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) recruit has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after it was revealed he was not legally authorized to remain in the United States.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed the recruit had lived in the country for roughly 10 years and held a valid driver’s license and Social Security number.
She said the department had been unaware of any issues with his immigration status before ICE notified them, noting that “there was nothing in the personnel packet that would suggest this person did not have legal status.”
She added, “I have been told that he will not be given a bond hearing and that he will begin the process of a removal.”
The recruit voluntarily surrendered to ICE without incident.
During the application process, he cleared all standard NOPD employment checks, including the federal E-Verify system, and had no criminal history according to the FBI-managed National Crime Information Center database.
Kirkpatrick emphasized that the department conducted thorough background checks and exercised due diligence before hiring.
He applied to the NOPD in June 2025 and successfully completed all screening steps.
ICE later confirmed he had no criminal record, and at the time of hiring, the department had no reason to suspect any immigration violations, 4WWL reported.
Kirkpatrick highlighted the department’s responsibility to uphold the law over personal feelings.
“It’s not an issue of ‘feeling,’” she said. “Everybody in law enforcement has different missions. If I swear an oath, it means I will follow the law. My feelings don’t matter.”
The NOPD has shared the recruit’s file with ICE and continues to coordinate on immigration matters.
Department policy requires applicants to be legally authorized to work in the U.S., though citizenship is not mandatory.
Kirkpatrick said the department is reviewing hiring protocols to prevent similar situations while remaining compliant with federal regulations.
The ICE action stems from a December 5, 2025, immigration court order in Atlanta directing the recruit’s removal.
The department hired him well before the order and completed routine background checks prior to his entry into the academy, according to Fox 8.
This case reflects broader challenges facing law enforcement nationwide. Across the country, agencies are struggling to recruit qualified officers while balancing federal immigration enforcement with local staffing needs.
Nearly 70 percent report difficulty attracting qualified candidates, and some urban departments have experienced staffing reductions of up to 40 percent over the past decade, according to R Street Institute.
Experts warn that federal interventions, including ICE detaining recruits, can complicate hiring and endanger public safety.
Cases across the country illustrate this tension between local recruitment and federal immigration enforcement.
In Portland, Maine, a Cumberland County corrections officer recruit was detained by ICE despite having reportedly passed rigorous hiring procedures and being authorized to work in the United States through April 2029.
Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said the recruit had been through a full background check, was cleared to work, and had “every indication” of being “squeaky clean.”
The New Orleans case, along with incidents like Maine’s, has sparked significant discussion on social media, with many conservatives criticizing the department for hiring someone without verified legal status.
“How many departments nationwide are doing this?! ZERO illegal aliens should have any authority over American citizens,” wrote Eric Daughtery of Florida’s Voice.
Others echoed similar concerns, expressing frustration that local law enforcement could inadvertently employ individuals subject to federal removal.
The cases highlight the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in balancing recruitment needs, public safety, and compliance with federal immigration laws—and the scrutiny that departments can expect from both federal authorities and the public when issues arise.
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