NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that National Guard troops will soon be deployed to New Orleans, joining an ongoing federal presence in the city ahead of a Border Patrol-led immigration operation known as “Swamp Sweep,” expected to begin this week. Trump did not specify the number of troops or the exact arrival date. Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who requested up to 1,000 National Guard members in September to help combat violent crime, told reporters he expects the troops to be in the city before Christmas. Speaking at a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump praised Landry and confirmed the deployment would happen in “a couple of weeks.”
Landry, a strong Trump supporter, has argued that federal intervention is needed in the Democratic-led city due to violent crime, although local police data shows crime has declined significantly in recent years. Landry also voiced support for the Swamp Sweep operation, which aims to arrest roughly 5,000 individuals over the coming weeks. Critics, including Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, have raised concerns that the deployment is unnecessary and could lead to civil rights violations or disrupt local cultural traditions such as second-line parades. Outgoing Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who faces federal corruption charges, emphasized the city’s history of collaboration with federal and state law enforcement. The National Guard has previously assisted New Orleans with security after the 2023 Bourbon Street truck attack. Landry has also indicated troops could be sent to Baton Rouge and Shreveport, where local officials have cited police shortages and ongoing concerns about gun violence, though some leaders prefer state police support. Louisiana joins other cities where Trump has sought or sent National Guard troops recently, including Los Angeles, Baltimore, Washington, and Memphis, with legal challenges mounting in some Democratic-led jurisdictions.