Rep. Carter Statement on Pentagon Apparent Leaked Documents on Proposal to Send National Guard Troops to New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) released the following statement: "The recent reporting by the Washington Post on a Pentagon plan to activate 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops for policing duties in New Orleans is deeply troubling. To be clear, this is not an official order-it is a draft proposal, outlined in leaked documents that even the Pentagon has said should not be interpreted as policy. No formal request has been made by Louisiana's leadership, and New Orleans should not be used as a testing ground for speculative, politically motivated plans. "The facts matter: New Orleans is experiencing the lowest crime rates in decades, with homicides and overall crime trending downward. There is no "emergency" that justifies militarizing our city streets. "If the President truly wants to help Louisiana and New Orleans, he should focus on real solutions: · Investing in recruitment, training, and retention of police officers so our department is strong, well-prepared, and trusted by the community. · Providing resources to our District Attorney's office to better prosecute cases and reduce recidivism. · Reviving community policing initiatives, as we saw succeed in the 1990s under President Clinton, where officers worked with-not against-communities to prevent crime and build trust. "Our National Guard must remain ready for genuine emergencies, like hurricanes and natural disasters-not diverted into political experiments in law enforcement. Louisiana deserves resources, respect, and genuine partnership, not militarization." ###