Louisiana Immigration: State Rules vs. Federal Law - and What to Do Here

This article reflects Louisiana law as of June 2026. Louisiana enacted six anti-immigrant laws during the 2025 regular legislative session, all effective August 1, 2025, plus an earlier sanctuary ban (Act 314, 2024). Key laws include Act 399 (obstruction of immigration enforcement, now with attorney general assurance that pure speech is not targeted), Act 419/SB 100 (public benefits status verification), HB 307 (public assistance ICE reporting), HB 554 (noncitizen ID restriction codes), Act 314 (sanctuary policy ban), and the 2025 establishment of a Fugitive Apprehension Unit under the Attorney General. Governor Jeff Landry launched Operation GEAUX in May 2025, formalizing state-federal enforcement cooperation. As of early 2026, Louisiana held approximately 8,244 ICE detainees, second only to Texas nationally. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO) remains under a 2012 federal consent decree limiting its cooperation with ICE detainers; that consent decree is being actively challenged by the Louisiana Attorney General in federal court. Verify current litigation status with the ACLU of Louisiana at acllouisiana.org or Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA) at islanola.org. Laws and enforcement conditions change rapidly.

Where Louisiana Stands

Louisiana is among the two or three most enforcement-aggressive states in this series. It is not a state that arrived at this posture recently: Louisiana has long hosted a significant ICE detention infrastructure in its rural parishes, holding large numbers of detainees in private facilities and parish jails under contracts that stretch back decades. What changed in 2025 was the addition of a sweeping package of state laws that criminalized interference with immigration enforcement, mandated status verification across public agencies, banned sanctuary policies, created a new state enforcement unit, and explicitly authorized state and local law enforcement to function alongside ICE through Operation GEAUX.

By early 2026, Louisiana was holding approximately 8,244 ICE detainees, second only to Texas nationally. That number reflects both the new enforcement infrastructure and Louisiana's longstanding role as a detention hub. For immigrant families in Louisiana, the combination of a high-capacity detention system, aggressive state law, a criminalized interference statute, and large-scale federal operations like Operation Catahoula Crunch (December 2025) means the risk environment is more concentrated and more legally complex than in most other states.

The editorial heart of Louisiana's story in this series is Act 399: a broadly written state obstruction statute that criminalized any act intended to interfere with federal immigration enforcement. When Border Patrol agents arrived in New Orleans in December 2025 for Operation Catahoula Crunch, immigrant legal services organizations stopped providing Know Your Rights workshops out of fear that doing so violated the law. The ACLU of Louisiana filed a federal lawsuit; the attorney general then filed a brief in federal court stating that Act 399 does not apply to pure speech or First Amendment-protected activity. That assurance is now in the court record. The ACLU withdrew its suit based on the assurance. Act 399 remains in effect, the assurance is not a judicial ruling, and its scope as applied to other conduct remains untested.

Part 1: What Federal Immigration Law Actually Says

Immigration enforcement is exclusively a federal function under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The federal government controls who enters, remains in, and is removed from the United States. State and local governments cannot create independent immigration enforcement systems that conflict with the INA.

The Tenth Amendment anti-commandeering doctrine, established in Printz v. United States (1997), means the federal government cannot compel state and local agencies to enforce federal immigration law. State cooperation is voluntary. Louisiana's Operation GEAUX is structured as a voluntary state-federal partnership rather than a mandate on local agencies, which keeps it within constitutional bounds. However, Act 314 and Act 399 go further by prohibiting sanctuary policies and criminalizing non-cooperation, which raises the question of whether a state can use criminal law to compel cooperation that the federal government itself cannot directly mandate. That question has not been definitively resolved by the courts.

Section 287(g) of the INA is the formal delegation mechanism through which ICE trains and authorizes local law enforcement to perform certain immigration functions. As of December 2025, 23 Louisiana law enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements with ICE, including agencies in Kenner, Hammond, Gretna, and Pearl River, along with multiple sheriff's offices and state agencies. Some of these agreements predate 2025; others were signed under the expanded Task Force Model reinstated by the Trump administration.

ICE detainers, Form I-247, are administrative requests, not court orders. They ask local jails to hold someone beyond their release date so ICE can take custody. Multiple federal circuits have held that honoring a detainer without a judicial warrant may expose the holding agency to Fourth Amendment liability. This is precisely the legal question at the center of the Orleans Parish situation: the OPSO has a 2012 federal consent decree that restricts when it can honor detainer requests, and Act 399 threatens criminal prosecution for deputies who follow the consent decree rather than the new state law.

Arizona v. United States (2012) remains the controlling preemption precedent. The Court struck down most of Arizona's SB 1070, holding that the federal government has broad preemptive authority over immigration. Louisiana's approach frames its state laws as supporting and facilitating federal enforcement rather than creating a parallel state immigration system, which is designed to keep it within the Arizona framework. But Act 399's criminalization of interference with federal enforcement, and the tension between Act 399 and the OPSO consent decree, represent unresolved boundary questions.

Part 2: Louisiana State Law

Act 314 (2024) - Sanctuary Policy Ban

The foundation of Louisiana's current enforcement framework predates 2025. Act 314, enacted in 2024 under Gov. Landry's first legislative session, prohibits state and local governmental entities from adopting or maintaining sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Law enforcement agencies are required to use best efforts to support federal immigration enforcement, share immigration status information with federal authorities, and comply with ICE detainer requests under specified conditions. Act 314 is a civil law, enforceable by court order, without criminal penalties for officials who violate it. Act 399, enacted in 2025, added criminal penalties on top of the civil framework.

Act 399 (SB 15, 2025) - Criminalization of Interference with Federal Immigration Enforcement

Act 399, effective August 1, 2025, is the most consequential and most contested of Louisiana's 2025 immigration laws. It does two things. First, it expands the existing crime of malfeasance in office to include any official who takes an official action, fails to perform an official duty, or refuses a lawful request for cooperation from federal immigration authorities with the intent to hinder, delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with federal immigration enforcement. Penalties for this offense can reach up to 10 years in prison.

Second, Act 399 amends Louisiana's obstruction of justice statute to add a new offense: knowingly committing any act intended to hinder, delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with or thwart federal immigration enforcement efforts. Penalties include up to one year in prison for acts involving civil immigration proceedings, up to six months for acts involving an official act of a government agent, and fines of up to $5,000.

The law is broadly written and does not specify what conduct is covered beyond the intent element. When Border Patrol agents arrived in New Orleans in December 2025 for Operation Catahoula Crunch, Attorney General Liz Murrill issued public warnings that anyone who interfered with ICE or Border Patrol operations would face state prosecution. The immigrant legal services organization ISLA stopped offering Know Your Rights workshops out of fear of prosecution under Act 399. The ACLU of Louisiana filed a federal lawsuit on December 3, 2025, arguing Act 399 violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments by criminalizing protected speech.

On December 4, 2025, at a hearing in the Eastern District of Louisiana before U.S. District Judge Nanette Brown, AG Murrill's office filed a brief stating that Act 399 does not bar pure First Amendment-protected speech, including Know Your Rights workshops. The ACLU called this filing a win, noting that the assurance is now in the court record. On December 5, 2025, ISLA withdrew the lawsuit based on the assurance. Act 399 remains in effect. The attorney general's assurance is not a court ruling or a legislative amendment. The scope of the law as applied to non-speech conduct, including warning someone about ICE's presence or helping someone avoid an enforcement operation, has not been definitively resolved by any court. Families and advocates should consult current guidance from the ACLU of Louisiana at acllouisiana.org.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office Conflict

The most direct legal collision produced by Act 399 involves the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO). For more than a decade, the OPSO has operated under a 2012 federal consent decree stemming from a civil rights case. Under that consent decree, deputies may not honor ICE detainer requests unless a person was charged with murder, aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery, or a similar serious violent offense. Deputies who followed the consent decree's restrictions and refused ICE detainers for other offenses were shielded from liability by the federal court settlement.

Act 399, effective August 1, 2025, put OPSO deputies in a direct legal conflict: following the consent decree could expose them to criminal prosecution under Act 399 for malfeasance in office, while violating the consent decree could expose the sheriff's office to contempt of federal court. The Orleans Parish Sheriff stated the office would continue to comply with the federal consent decree. AG Murrill challenged the consent decree in federal court, seeking to modify or end the restrictions it imposes. As of March 2026, the federal courts had not resolved the challenge. The OPSO's limited cooperation posture with ICE remains under active litigation. Families in Orleans Parish should verify current OPSO policy with the ACLU of Louisiana or ISLA.

Act 419 / SB 100 (2025) - Public Benefits Status Verification

Act 419, effective August 1, 2025, enacted as the State Services and Benefits Legal Status and Accountability Act, requires all Louisiana state agencies, boards, and commissions to implement a standardized process for verifying the immigration status of anyone receiving public services or benefits. Agencies must report on how they are implementing these requirements annually to the governor and legislature and post full reports publicly. The law applies to a broad range of state agencies including the Departments of Health, Revenue, and Louisiana higher education institutions.

The law creates a surveillance mechanism that extends immigration enforcement into state service delivery. Families interacting with any Louisiana state agency, including for health care, education, or other services, should understand that status verification may be part of that interaction. Consult an immigration attorney or ISLA before accessing state services if you have concerns about immigration status.

HB 307 (2025) - Public Assistance ICE Reporting

House Bill 307, effective August 1, 2025, requires state agencies and political subdivisions that administer public assistance programs to report noncitizens who apply for benefits to ICE. Except as prohibited by federal law, agencies must verify citizenship or lawful status, and those who cannot establish satisfactory immigration status after a reasonable opportunity period must be reported. This law extends immigration enforcement into the public assistance application process.

HB 554 (2025) - Noncitizen ID Restriction Codes

House Bill 554, effective August 1, 2025, requires the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles to place restriction codes on driver's licenses and state IDs issued to lawfully present noncitizens who are not U.S. citizens. The law also mandates that official warnings against voting be displayed or communicated. These codes visually mark the holder's noncitizen status on government-issued identification. Legal immigrants with lawful status, including green card holders and work visa holders, are covered by this law.

HB 303 (2025) - Fugitive Apprehension Unit

House Bill 303 established a new Fugitive Apprehension Unit within the Louisiana Attorney General's office. This unit gives the AG's office a dedicated operational enforcement arm with authority to locate and apprehend people in the country without legal status. It supplements Operation GEAUX and the 287(g) framework by creating a state-level enforcement capacity within the executive branch.

Operation GEAUX - May 2025

Governor Landry launched Operation GEAUX in May 2025 as a state executive initiative formalizing the partnership between Louisiana state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The operation authorizes state and local law enforcement to conduct enhanced screening at traffic stops, jails, and public facilities, and to conduct enforcement alongside ICE. Governor Landry described Operation GEAUX as 'one of a kind,' aligning Louisiana's posture with the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda. The operation was active through all of 2025 and into 2026.

Operation Catahoula Crunch - December 2025

In late November and December 2025, the Trump administration deployed hundreds of U.S. Border Patrol agents to the greater New Orleans area for an enforcement operation initially called Operation Swamp Sweep and renamed Operation Catahoula Crunch. The operation targeted day laborers outside home improvement stores, workers at restaurants and construction sites, and suburban residential areas in Jefferson and other parishes adjacent to New Orleans. CBP agents from outside the region led the sweeps. The operation was the backdrop for the ACLU lawsuit over Act 399 and the confrontation between AG Murrill and the OPSO.

287(g) Agreements - 23 Agencies as of December 2025

As of December 2025, 23 Louisiana law enforcement agencies had 287(g) agreements with ICE, including the Kenner, Hammond, Gretna, and Pearl River police departments, plus multiple parish sheriffs and state agencies. Some of these agreements were longstanding; others were signed under the expanded Task Force Model reinstated in January 2025. Louisiana State Police also participate in immigration enforcement through Operation GEAUX. The total number of agreements continues to grow.

Louisiana's Detention Infrastructure

Louisiana has served as a national hub for ICE detention for decades. Private detention facilities in rural parishes, including the LaSalle Parish area around Jena and Ferriday, and the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, hold large numbers of ICE detainees under contracts between ICE and private operators or local governments. As of early 2026, Louisiana held approximately 8,244 ICE detainees, second only to Texas nationally. This number reflects both active local enforcement and Louisiana's role as a destination for detainees transferred from other states.

Part 3: How State and Federal Law Interact in Louisiana

Louisiana has constructed one of the most integrated state-federal immigration enforcement partnerships in the country. Act 314 bans sanctuary policies and mandates cooperation. Act 399 criminalizes interference with federal enforcement for both public officials and private individuals. Operation GEAUX operationalizes the partnership through executive authority. The Fugitive Apprehension Unit gives the attorney general her own enforcement arm. The 287(g) agreements give local agencies delegated federal enforcement authority. Together, these layers create an enforcement architecture that is layered, active, and legally aggressive.

The constitutional tension points are real. On the Tenth Amendment anti-commandeering question: Act 314 and Act 399 use state law to mandate cooperation and criminalize non-cooperation, which raises the question of whether a state can do with criminal law what the federal government cannot do with direct mandate. That question has not been definitively answered by the Supreme Court or the Fifth Circuit (which covers Louisiana). The OPSO consent decree conflict is a direct example: a federal consent decree that limits ICE cooperation now conflicts with a state criminal law requiring that cooperation.

On the First Amendment question: AG Murrill's assurance that Act 399 does not apply to pure speech is recorded in a federal court filing and was the basis for ISLA's withdrawal of its lawsuit. That assurance protects Know Your Rights workshops and protest speech. What it does not do is define the outer boundary of the law with respect to other conduct, including warning people about enforcement locations, helping someone avoid a checkpoint, or coordinating community responses to enforcement. Those questions remain open.

Arizona v. United States (2012) remains the ceiling. Louisiana's laws are framed as facilitation of federal enforcement rather than independent state immigration enforcement. That framing matters for preemption analysis. However, Act 399's criminalization of malfeasance for officials who refuse cooperation could be read as creating state consequences for choices that are supposed to be voluntary under the Tenth Amendment framework, which courts may eventually scrutinize.

Part 4: What This Means for Families on the Ground

For immigrant families in Louisiana, the enforcement environment is one of the most intense in the country. Louisiana holds the second-highest number of ICE detainees in the nation, behind only Texas. Federal enforcement operations descend on Louisiana regularly, and state law has removed most of the legal space that existed in other states for local agencies to limit cooperation with ICE.

The jail pipeline is active statewide. Any arrest that leads to a parish jail booking can trigger immigration screening and an ICE detainer. Twenty-three agencies have formal 287(g) authority to act on those detainers. In parishes with Task Force Model agreements, arrests outside the jail can occur during routine policing.

The public benefits pipeline is also active under HB 307 and Act 419. Applying for public assistance or accessing state services can now trigger immigration status checks and ICE reporting. Families with mixed immigration status should understand this risk and consult an immigration attorney before accessing state services if they have concerns.

The ID restriction code under HB 554 applies to lawfully present noncitizens, including green card holders and work visa holders. Louisiana-issued driver's licenses and state IDs for noncitizens now carry a visible restriction code identifying the holder's noncitizen status. This affects not only immigrants but also the daily transactions, like traffic stops, that put an ID into a law enforcement officer's hands.

In Orleans Parish specifically, the OPSO's limited cooperation posture under its federal consent decree has provided some protection for people in the New Orleans jail who would otherwise face ICE detainer holds. That protection is under active litigation by the AG's office and could change at any time. Families in Orleans Parish should monitor current OPSO policy through the ACLU of Louisiana or ISLA.

The Know Your Rights question is practical for families in Louisiana. Based on AG Murrill's December 2025 assurance filed in federal court, organizations can provide Know Your Rights trainings and individuals can advise others of their legal rights during enforcement operations. The assurance is in the record and has been cited by the ACLU as protective. However, the law itself has not been amended and does not specify what is or is not covered. Exercise good judgment about conduct, document everything, and contact ISLA or the ACLU of Louisiana if you believe Act 399 is being used to target protected activity.

Operation Catahoula Crunch in December 2025 demonstrated the scale of enforcement operations possible in Louisiana. Hundreds of federal agents fanned out across the greater New Orleans area, targeting construction sites, home improvement store parking lots, restaurants, and neighborhoods. Similar operations can recur with little advance notice.

Part 5: What You Can Actually Do

If ICE or Border Patrol Comes to Your Home

Do not open the door. Neither ICE nor Border Patrol can legally enter a home without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. An ICE administrative warrant, Form I-200 (Warrant for Arrest of Alien) or Form I-205 (Warrant of Removal/Deportation), is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge, and does not give agents the right to enter your home. Ask through the closed door whether the warrant is signed by a judge. If it is not, you may say clearly that you do not consent to entry.

You have the right to remain silent. You are not required to answer questions about your birthplace, how you entered the country, or your immigration status. Say: 'I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak with a lawyer.' This right applies to everyone regardless of immigration status.

Do not sign anything without speaking with an immigration attorney. Signing voluntary departure forms or other removal documents can permanently waive important legal rights.

If stopped in public, stay calm. Do not run. Do not physically resist. State that you are exercising your right to remain silent and want a lawyer. Ask if you are free to go. If yes, leave calmly.

Under Act 399 as interpreted by AG Murrill's December 2025 court filing, recording law enforcement activity and conducting Know Your Rights education is protected speech and is not covered by the obstruction statute. If you are warned that you are violating Act 399 for speech or recording activity, note the time, location, and officer information and contact the ACLU of Louisiana immediately.

If a Family Member Is Detained

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov immediately. You will need the person's country of birth and either their full name and date of birth or their A-Number (Alien Registration Number). Louisiana detainees can be held in parish jails or transferred to private ICE detention facilities in rural parishes, sometimes far from their home communities. Locating your family member quickly is critical because transfers can happen with little notice.

Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024.

Call the EOIR Immigration Court Information Line: 1-800-898-7180 for hearing dates and case status.

Contact ISLA (Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy) in New Orleans: islanola.org. ISLA provides direct legal services to people in immigration detention in Louisiana and has specific expertise in Louisiana's detention system.

Contact the ACLU of Louisiana: acllouisiana.org.

Know the Risk Points in Louisiana

The jail pipeline is statewide and active. Any arrest in any parish can result in immigration screening and a detainer hold. Twenty-three agencies have formal 287(g) authority and more may be signing. Operation GEAUX adds state police and the AG's Fugitive Apprehension Unit to the enforcement picture.

Public benefits access now triggers reporting. Applying for state assistance or accessing state services can result in ICE referral under HB 307 and Act 419. Mixed-status families should understand this risk.

Traffic stops are an elevated risk point. The noncitizen ID restriction code under HB 554 marks driver's licenses, meaning a routine traffic stop puts that information directly in a law enforcement officer's hands.

Workplace and street enforcement occurred during Operation Catahoula Crunch in December 2025. Construction sites, home improvement store parking lots, and restaurant areas were targeted. These types of locations can be targeted again.

Rural detention infrastructure means transfers. Louisiana holds detainees far from major cities in private facilities and parish jails in LaSalle, Winn, and other rural parishes. If a family member is detained in New Orleans but transferred to a rural facility, the ICE Detainee Locator is essential for tracking their location.

In Orleans Parish, the OPSO consent decree has historically provided limited protection. That protection is under active legal challenge. Monitor current status through the ACLU of Louisiana or ISLA.

Part 6: Legal Resources in Louisiana

Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA): islanola.org. ISLA is the primary immigrant legal services organization in New Orleans. It provides Know Your Rights education and direct legal services to people in immigration detention in Louisiana. ISLA was the plaintiff in the December 2025 Act 399 lawsuit and has direct experience with Louisiana's enforcement environment.

ACLU of Louisiana: acllouisiana.org. The ACLU of Louisiana litigated the Act 399 challenge and monitors enforcement operations and legislative developments. Their website includes updated resources on current law and enforcement.

Immigration Advocates Network: immigrationadvocates.org. The national legal aid finder allows you to search for immigration attorneys and organizations by state and parish.

National Immigrant Justice Center (Chicago): immigrantjustice.org. NIJC provides direct legal services and has experience with detention cases involving Louisiana facilities.

Southern Poverty Law Center: splcenter.org. The SPLC monitors immigration enforcement in Louisiana and the Gulf South.

EOIR Immigration Court Information Line: 1-800-898-7180.

ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov.

ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024.

Summary

Louisiana enacted six anti-immigrant laws during its 2025 regular session, all effective August 1, 2025, layered on top of a 2024 sanctuary policy ban. The centerpiece is Act 399, which criminalizes interference with federal immigration enforcement for both public officials and private individuals. The attorney general has filed a court assurance that pure speech, including Know Your Rights workshops, is not covered by the law. That assurance is in the record but Act 399 has not been judicially narrowed. Operation GEAUX formalized state-federal enforcement cooperation. The Fugitive Apprehension Unit gives the AG her own enforcement arm. As of early 2026, Louisiana held approximately 8,244 ICE detainees, second only to Texas.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office remains under a federal consent decree that limits when it can honor ICE detainers, and that consent decree is being actively challenged by the AG in federal court. The rest of Louisiana operates without that protection. Families face risk through the jail pipeline, the public benefits access channel, the noncitizen ID code on driver's licenses, and large-scale federal enforcement operations that can arise with little notice. Know your rights at the door, exercise the right to remain silent, locate detained family members immediately through the ICE Detainee Locator, and contact ISLA or the ACLU of Louisiana for current guidance.

Sources and verification: Louisiana Act 399 (SB 15, effective August 1, 2025); Louisiana Act 419 (SB 100, effective August 1, 2025); Louisiana HB 307 (effective August 1, 2025); Louisiana HB 554 (effective August 1, 2025); Louisiana Act 314 (2024); Louisiana HB 303 (2025, Fugitive Apprehension Unit); NOLA.com, 'Louisiana Laws and Immigration Enforcement: What to Know,' December 4, 2025; ACLU of Louisiana lawsuit and withdrawal, December 3-5, 2025 (Eastern District of Louisiana, Case No. TBD); AG Murrill court brief on Act 399 scope, December 4, 2025; Louisiana Illuminator, 'Orleans Sheriff to Stick with Immigration Policy,' July 11, 2025; Louisiana Illuminator, 'Orleans Sheriff, Federal Government Face Off in Court,' March 18, 2026; Fox8Live, 'Louisiana Law Enforcement Agencies Join Federal Immigration Task Force,' December 8, 2025 (23 agencies as of December 2025); VisaVerge, 'State Immigration Laws 2026,' April 1, 2026 (8,244 detainees); NIPNLG, 'Louisiana 2025 Regular Legislative Session Anti-Immigrant Laws,' September 8, 2025; Arizona v. United States, 567 U.S. 387 (2012); Printz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898 (1997). Volatile items requiring verification: OPSO consent decree litigation status (active as of March 2026, verify current status with ACLU of Louisiana); Act 399 enforcement scope beyond speech (no judicial ruling as of June 2026); current 287(g) agency count (growing); current ICE detainee population in Louisiana. Last verified: June 2026.