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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A New Orleans Police Department recruit has been taken into custody by immigration agents less than one week before he was scheduled to graduate from the department’s police academy, according to a press release.
Larry Temah, a Cameroon national, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 28 in New Orleans over an active deportation order, officials said.
Why It Matters
The arrest comes amid a federal push on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which targets individuals living in the U.S. without legal status, under an aggressive deportation policy.
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What To Know
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, said Temah did not have valid work authorization and was in the United States without legal immigration status. Therefore, he could not legally possess a firearm, despite being issued one during his training with the police department.
DHS said Temah first entered the U.S. in 2015 on a visitor visa and was granted conditional residency in 2016 after marrying a U.S. citizen. His application for permanent residency was later denied in 2022 due to alleged fraud. An immigration judge subsequently ordered him removed from the United States after he failed to appear for required hearings.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) said it had verified Temah’s eligibility for employment through the federal E‑Verify system before hiring him and was not notified of any ICE detainer or immigration action.
The department also said it did not knowingly violate any laws and that decisions on detainers are handled by the sheriff’s office, not NOPD.
What People Are Saying
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin: "This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him in a firearm—what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges? It’s a FELONY for illegal aliens to even possess a firearm."
The New Orleans Police Department said in a statement: "Recent statements regarding Recruit Larry Temah are misleading. The New Orleans Police Department verified Mr. Temah’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system prior to hiring and was never notified of any ICE detainer. New Orleans is not a sanctuary city, and NOPD does not control jail operations or detainer decisions, which fall under the Sheriff’s Office. Any claim that NOPD knowingly violated the law is false."
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement: "I have spoken with Chief Kirkpatrick about this. She says this individual was checked through E-Verify, and the City of New Orleans has adopted new policies and is cooperating with ICE. That said, I still have serious concerns about how this occurred and about the hiring process. I will continue to seek answers from all parties involved."
What Happens Next
Temah will remain in federal custody pending removal proceedings, DHS said.
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