Federal officials have reported that an undocumented immigrant with a deportation order was hired as a police officer in New Orleans and even issued a firearm.
Larry Tema, 46, originally from Cameroon, was apprehended by ICE at his residence on January 26, just days before he was set to graduate from the police academy.
“This illegal immigrant, Larry Tema, not only breaches the law by being here unlawfully, but the New Orleans Police Department also gave him a gun and badge. What sort of law enforcement agency would arm someone who is a criminal and undocumented?” questioned Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of homeland security.
“It’s actually a felony for someone in his position to possess a firearm.”
ICE noted that Tema arrived in the U.S. legally on a tourist visa in 2015, married an American the following year, and was granted conditional residency status. However, his application for a green card was denied in 2022 due to suspicions that his marriage wasn’t genuine.
Subsequently, he was ordered to attend immigration court but missed three scheduled appearances, according to federal authorities.
This led to him receiving a deportation order.
The Trump administration has criticized the New Orleans Police Department for hiring Tema and providing him with a firearm, despite his illegal status and the active deportation order.
A spokesperson for the police department refuted ICE’s assertions, suggesting they were misleading.
“The New Orleans Police Department confirmed Mr. Tema’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system before hiring him, but they weren’t informed of any ICE detainees,” the spokesperson stated.
“New Orleans is not designated as a sanctuary city, and the NOPD does not govern jail operations or detainer decisions, which are under the Sheriff’s Office,” they added.
“Allegations that NOPD knowingly broke the law are untrue,” the spokesperson concluded.
