An immigration crackdown swept across the New Orleans metro area Wednesday morning, with federal authorities detaining mostly day laborers at multiple locations in an operation they said would target violent criminals.

About 250 agents conducted the operation, which was welcomed by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry.

Federal Border Patrol agents fanned out in teams, hitting sites where immigrant day laborers congregate. They arrived in mostly unmarked vehicles at the Lowe's Home Improvement store on Elysian Fields in New Orleans just after 8 a.m.

Neighborhood volunteer Jebney Lewis arrived shortly after the raid.

"Law enforcement officers arrived and detained between 12 and 13 people, mostly folks who are day laborers who are looking for work here at the Lowes," Lewis said.

Lewis said those d

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