The Trump administration has announced the deployment of 350 National Guard troops to New Orleans in anticipation of the New Year celebrations. This move coincides with an ongoing immigration crackdown spearheaded by Border Patrol in the area.

According to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, the Guard members will assist federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, similar to their roles in other major cities. This deployment is expected to last until February.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, expressed his approval of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for arranging the deployment. He believes that the presence of the National Guard will have a beneficial effect on the region.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show,” Landry stated, “This initiative will aid in curbing violence not just in New Orleans but throughout Louisiana. A big thanks to both President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.”

However, some critics argue that deploying the National Guard is unnecessary and could instill fear within the community. They also emphasize that New Orleans has experienced a decline in violent crime rates recently.

The deployment of the National Guard to the Democrat-led city comes as Border Patrol agents have been carrying out an immigration crackdown since the beginning of the month. According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents have arrested several hundred people during the first couple weeks of what is expected to be a months-long operation that has a goal of 5,000 arrests.

Back in September, Landry asked Trump to send a 1,000 federally funded troops to Louisiana cities, citing concerns about crime. Landry has praised Trump for sending troops to other cities, including Washington and Memphis, Tennessee.

The president has also taken a shine to Landry. Trump on Sunday announced he was appointing the governor to serve as his special envoy to Greenland, the strategic, vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark that Trump has said the U.S. needs to take over.

New Orleans has been on pace for much of the year to have its lowest number of murders in decades, according to preliminary data from the city’s police department. There have been 97 homicides in 2025 as of Nov. 1, including 14 revelers who were killed on New Year’s Day during a truck attack on Bourbon Street.

A U.S. Army veteran driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group wrought carnage on New Orleans’ raucous New Year’s celebration as he steered around a police blockade and slammed into revelers before being shot dead by police.

There were 124 homicides last year and 193 in 2023, according to city figures. Armed robberies, aggravated assaults, carjackings, shootings and property crimes have also trended downward.

New Orleans is no stranger to having National Guard members in the city. In January, 100 Guard members were sent to the city to help with security measures following the New Year’s Day truck attack. Guard members were also present for major events in the city this year, including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.

___ Associated Press reporter Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.