ICE arrested 46-year-old Larry Temah, a New Orleans police recruit from Cameroon, on Jan. 28 after identifying an outstanding deportation order and a lack of valid work authorization. ICE alleges Temah was issued a department firearm about a week before his expected academy graduation, and that his application for permanent residency was denied in 2022 for fraud. NOPD says it verified eligibility via E-Verify and was not notified of any ICE detainer. The case spotlights tensions over interagency communication and local hiring practices.
ICE Arrests New Orleans Police Recruit With Active Deportation Order After He Was Armed By NOPD
ICE arrests New Orleans police recruit with deportation order who was issued firearm by department
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it arrested 46-year-old Larry Temah, a New Orleans Police Department recruit from Cameroon, on Jan. 28 after discovering he had an outstanding deportation order and lacked valid work authorization. ICE additionally alleges Temah had been issued a department firearm about a week before his scheduled police academy graduation.
ICE arrested a New Orleans police recruit from Cameroon who was issued a firearm despite an active deportation order, prompting a dispute with city officials.(Reuters)
Timeline and Immigration Status
According to ICE, Temah entered the United States in 2015 on a visitor visa and received conditional residency in 2016 after marrying a U.S. citizen. ICE says his application for permanent residency was denied in 2022 on grounds of fraud. ICE also reports Temah missed three scheduled immigration-court appearances, and an immigration judge subsequently ordered his removal in absentia.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blasted NOPD for issuing a firearm to an illegal immigrant, saying it violates federal law.
Arrest and Department Responses
ICE says Temah was taken into custody on Jan. 28 and remains detained pending removal proceedings. The agency alleges the New Orleans Police Department recruited and armed Temah despite his immigration status and without valid work authorization, which ICE says made his possession of a firearm unlawful under federal rules that restrict firearms possession by noncitizens lacking authorization.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the hiring and arming of Temah, calling it unlawful and raising public-safety concerns.
The New Orleans Police Department disputed ICE’s account. A NOPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the department verified Temah’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system before hiring and that it was never notified of any ICE detainer. The spokesperson also emphasized that New Orleans is not a sanctuary city and that jail operations and detainer decisions fall under the Sheriff’s Office, not NOPD.
Implications
The case highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local hiring practices, and it raises questions about interagency communication — particularly how and when ICE notifies local agencies about detainers and removal orders. The dispute between ICE and NOPD underscores broader debates over immigration policy, public-safety protocols, and verification processes for law enforcement hires.
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