New Orleans Police Recruit Detained by ICE
What to Know
- The recruit had successfully completed all background checks, including a criminal history check, and met all employment requirements for the NOPD.
- ICE detained the recruit under a December judge's order, despite the recruit's long-standing residence and no criminal record.
- The department's superintendent stated that the NOPD followed due diligence and that the law must be enforced regardless of personal views.
NEW ORLEANS -- A New Orleans Police Department recruit was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while attending the police academy, despite clearing all required background checks, according to Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick said the recruit was detained Wednesday morning under an order signed by a judge in December, according to WWL-TV.
She emphasized the recruit was hired well before that order and met all standard employment requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license, a Social Security number, and successfully clearing the department’s E-Verify process.
“As a part of our hiring process, which he would have been subject to, we do run our candidates through what we call a III process, which is a NCIC check for criminal history, and he cleared that,” Kirkpatrick said. She added that an ICE field officer confirmed the recruit had no criminal history.
Kirkpatrick said the department identified no disqualifying issues during the hiring process. “I would say on our end, there would not have been a reason or a flag that would have us be… we did the due diligence,” she said.
According to the superintendent, the recruit contacted attorneys with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) seeking assistance one day before the detention. Sources said FOP attorneys, who are not immigration attorneys, attempted to help and reach out to immigration counsel, but were unable to intervene before the detention occurred.
Kirkpatrick said the recruit had been in the United States for more than a decade and began the NOPD application process in June. She also said the recruit was married to a U.S. citizen, though it was unclear what the status of the marriage was at the time of the detention.
The superintendent said the department’s role is to enforce the law regardless of personal views. “I literally took an oath of office and that means something to me,” Kirkpatrick said. “In the end, my feelings really don’t matter. It becomes an issue of duty.”
Kirkpatrick said the recruit remains in ICE custody and will not be granted a bond hearing, with removal proceedings underway. She referred additional questions about the case to ICE.