Troy Carter

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, a Democrat who represents New Orleans, opposes a reported plan to deploy Border Patrol agents to the city for immigration enforcement, according to a statement he released Wednesday.

"As the Congressman representing New Orleans, we welcome help, but not this way,” he said. “Our city doesn’t need a political show of force.”

The New York Times reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s administration planned to send the Border Patrol to New Orleans and Charlotte, North Carolina, following an enforcement effort that has ignited tensions in Chicago.

The press office for U.S. Customs & Border Protection would not confirm that plan Wednesday.

“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country. We do not discuss future or potential operations,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Border Patrol, said in a statement.

Carter said he would rather see federal “investments in recruiting, training, and retaining well-qualified police officers, funding for community-based safety initiatives, and support for our District Attorney’s Office to access the best tools and technology available” instead of a CBP deployment.

The congressman has also opposed bringing the National Guard to New Orleans as a law enforcement tool. Gov. Jeff Landry in September asked the Trump administration to fund the deployment of 1,000 troops in Louisiana.

Since then, officials have released few details about what the Guard’s role would be or when troops would arrive, but Landry cited crime in Louisiana’s cities as the reason for his request.

The Trump administration has not yet approved the plan, Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a spokesperson for the Louisiana National Guard, said Wednesday.

“The National Guard and Border Patrol serve important roles, and we respect their service,” Carter said. “But they are not trained in de-escalation, nor are they familiar with our municipal laws, our neighborhoods, or the relationships that keep our communities safe.”

Carter has supported calling in the National Guard after emergencies such as hurricanes and the Jan. 1 terrorist attack in New Orleans.

This year, Trump expanded the traditional uses of the National Guard and deployed federal forces to cities like Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., in a controversial crackdown on crime and immigration.

Border Patrol agents were sent to the Chicago area in September for “Operation Midway Blitz.” Since then, more than 3,200 people with alleged immigration violations have been arrested in the area.

During that campaign, the Border Patrol has employed controversial and aggressive tactics, including the use of chemical agents and a helicopter raid on an apartment building.

Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino has described those tactics as a necessary response to threats he says his agents have faced since arriving in the city.

A spokesperson for Landry did not provide information about the reported plan to send Border Patrol agents to New Orleans in response to an inquiry Wednesday.

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno declined to comment through a spokesperson, and Mayor LaToya Cantrell's office did not return an email request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.