Overview
- NOPD leadership said the unnamed recruit was taken into ICE custody in New Orleans while attending the police academy on Jan. 28, 2026.
- An immigration judge in Atlanta signed a removal order on Dec. 5, 2025, weeks after the department hired the recruit in June 2025.
- Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the recruit presented a valid driver’s license and Social Security number, passed E-Verify, and showed no criminal history in NOPD checks.
- ICE informed the department of the removal order, the recruit was detained without incident, and he is being processed for removal without a bond hearing.
- NOPD is reviewing its hiring records, and ICE has offered assistance to help identify immigration-related indicators for future applicants, while the agency has not provided further public details.