The Louisiana National Guard has announced that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans until August, extending their mission by six months. The extension follows an initial deployment of 350 Guard members in late December, who were concentrated in the French Quarter for New Year's Eve and the Sugar Bowl, and were originally due to leave after Mardi Gras.
The deployment is part of a broader federal initiative under President Donald Trump, which has also seen armed troops sent to other Democrat-led cities such as Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee. In December, hundreds of federal agents arrived in Louisiana for a separate immigration crackdown. President Trump praised the New Orleans deployment as a “big success” in his State of the Union address, crediting it with reducing violent crime, though city data shows crime rates have been declining nationally for three years.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, now supports the extended presence. “I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events,” she said, noting the Guard's assistance after a vehicle-ramming attack on New Year's Day that killed 14 people. The Guard will provide a “visible presence to deter criminal activity,” according to a press statement.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, requested the deployment last September, citing rising violent crime despite data showing a decline. “This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” he wrote on X. The federal government will cover the cost, said Landry's spokesperson Kate Kelly.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, stated that troops have worked closely with local and federal agencies to improve public safety during Mardi Gras and carnival season. “We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe,” he said.
