James Finn

PAC, foreclosure, family tie: New Orleans candidate faces questions over $39k campaign payments She's trying to win the City Council seat currently held by mayoral candidate Helena Moreno.

My latest: As she runs for the New Orleans City Council, State Rep. Delisha Boyd and a group supporting her campaign have paid more than $39,000 in campaign funds to a company she owns with her daughter, state records show. #lalege #lagov @nolanews.bsky.social

They came to rebuild New Orleans after Katrina. Under Trump, ICE is trying to deport them. Two cousins came from Guatemala to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Twenty years later they're in Louisiana ICE detention, awaiting deportation.

They helped rebuild New Orleans after Katrina, became active members of local churches, built lives and families. Now they're stuck in an ICE detention center as the Trump administration tries to deport them. Important story from @rjamesfinn.bsky.social:
www.nola.com/news/politic...

They came to rebuild New Orleans after Katrina. Under Trump, ICE is trying to deport them. Two cousins came from Guatemala to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Twenty years later they're in Louisiana ICE detention, awaiting deportation.

Two workers who came to New Orleans to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago built families, careers and lives of faith in the city.

Now they’re being held in ICE detention, awaiting deportation to Guatemala. #lalege #lagov
www.nola.com/news/politic...

LaToya Cantrell rejected warnings about relationship with bodyguard years before indictment Years before her federal indictment, LaToya Cantrell was warned again and again by associates who feared a budding romance with her police bodyguard might one day expose her to criminal charges.

Story: LaToya Cantrell rejected warnings about relationship with bodyguard years before indictment

Federal grand jury indicts New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell after years-long investigation A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been indicted. See the players in the corruption probe Criminal charges filed against Mayor LaToya Cantrell follow a years-long probe by the FBI into how she and people around her became involved in alleged corruption.

Criminal charges filed against Mayor LaToya Cantrell follow a years-long probe by the FBI into how she and people around her became involved in alleged corruption.

Officials react to Mayor LaToya Cantrell's indictment: A 'sad day' for New Orleans Public officials and political watchers lamented the harsh spotlight on New Orleans after Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Public officials and political watchers lamented the harsh spotlight on New Orleans after Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Louisiana in talks with Trump to run immigration jail inside Angola, sources say Kristi Noem recently said she was having conversations with other Republican governors about opening facilities in their states modeled after "Alligator Alcatraz." But the potential immigration locku...

SCOOP: Louisiana officials are in talks with the Trump administration about opening a state-run immigration jail inside the State Penitentiary at Angola, people familiar with the plan tell me #lalege #lagov
www.nola.com/news/politic...

Louisiana in talks with Trump to run immigration jail inside Angola, sources say Kristi Noem recently said she was having conversations with other Republican governors about opening facilities in their states modeled after "Alligator Alcatraz." But the potential immigration locku...

Scoop from @rjamesfinn.bsky.social: Louisiana is in talks to open an immigration jail inside of Angola, sources say. Plan is to use an unused wing of the massive prison complex, possibly camp J, to house immigrants. State closed camp J years ago w/ safety concerns
www.nola.com/news/politic...

New Orleans woman's ICE arrest shows need for immigration overhaul, Steve Scalise says Scalise helped secure the release of Donna Kashanian after reviewing his case file. Here's what he thinks needs to happen in Congress.

NEW from me: The arrest of an Iranian woman in New Orleans almost 50 years shows the need for legislation streamlining how the country treats people who lack legal residency but otherwise follow the law, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in an interview this week. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana sends first responders to Texas to help recovery from Hill Country floods The teams have experience in "swift water" rescues.

The teams have experience in "swift water" rescues.

Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Police Joins Justice Dept.

"a man who had urged violence against police officers was now responsible for the department’s official effort to exact revenge against those who had tried to hold the rioters accountable" www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/u...

Trump taps this prominent attorney to be the New Orleans region's top federal prosecutor President Trump has tapped a veteran Jefferson Parish attorney as the next federal prosecutor over the New Orleans region. See who.

Trump nominates Jefferson Parish lawyer David Courcelle to be New Orleans' next U.S. Attorney, tapping a well-connected member of New Orleans' trial bar to lead the DOJ's largest Louisiana outpost.

My story:

BREAKING: on Instagram, State Sen. Royce Duplessis says he’s running for mayor of New Orleans — reversing his decision in January not to run #lalege #lagov

YouTube video by CNN Erin Burnett asks Zohran Mamdani what it means to be a Democratic Socialist. Hear his response

this is a remarkable interview

Mamdani being on message, of course, but also Erin Burnett's combination of detailed preparedness, good faith journalistic antagonism, and real interest in having him expand on his ideas

Iranian immigrant who has lived in New Orleans nearly 50 years arrested outside Lakeview home Federal agents arrested an Iranian woman who has lived in the United States for more than four decades outside her Lakeview home Sunday.

Story from yesterday: An Iranian woman who has lived in the United States for 47 years and has no criminal record was detained by federal agents Sunday morning as she gardened outside her New Orleans home.

Dueling statements issued by the far-right Louisiana Freedom Caucus, which urges people to wield “justifiable use of force” during protests, and Louisiana Democrats, who accuse the Freedom Caucus of fomenting “violence against peaceful protestors” #lalege #lagov

The High-Flying Escalation of CBP's Predator Drone Flights Over LA Custom and Border Protection flying powerful Predator B drones over Los Angeles further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters typically handled by state or local authorities.

NEW: The CBP confirmed to @404media.co that it has been flying Predator drones over LA amid the protests. These Predator B drones are military-caliber UAVs used for aerial reconnaissance that can be armed.

It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:

The FBI's New Orleans field office posted this message ahead of anti-Trump protests planned nationwide tomorrow #lalege #lagov

Customs and Border Protection taking out recruitment ads on Twitter

The White House Marching Orders That Sparked the L.A. Migrant Crackdown After deportations fell short of President Trump’s campaign promises, federal agents summoned to a meeting in Washington were told to “just go out there and arrest illegal aliens.”

"Federal agents make warrantless arrests. Masked agents take people into custody without identifying themselves. And across the U.S., people are disappearing into the federal detention system without notice to families or lawyers, according to attorneys, witnesses and officials." Via @wsj.com

How an under-the-radar Democrat brings millions home to New Orleans from GOP-led Legislature At the state Capitol in Baton Rouge, he's New Orleans' most powerful advocate. Most New Orleanians don't know him.

Jimmy Harris delivers better than anyone in Lege, but does it quietly.

When I first started, we were both aides to powerful pols who were sometimes at odds. But Jimmy was always awesome to work with. Unpretentious and smart. Great @rjamesfinn.bsky.social piece.
www.nola.com/news/politic...

An updated table of Louisiana law enforcement agencies with active and pending 287(g) agreements, which have expanded under Trump and allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws. @nolanews.bsky.social

We asked Mayor Cantrell’s office last night where she was since nobody has seen her for days. Predictably they didn’t respond.

As Trump pursues a sweeping expansion of ICE's 287(g) program, here's which Louisiana agencies are entering partnerships with ICE under that program, or considering doing so. #lalege #lagov
www.nola.com/news/crime_p...

Plainclothes ICE agents make arrests inside Louisiana courthouse, escalating Trump's crackdown Plain-clothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered a Jefferson Parish municipal court building in Metairie Thursday and detained three people, according to immigrant advocates and a Jeff...

NEW: Plainclothes ICE agents entered a Jefferson Parish municipal court building in Metairie on Thursday and detained three people, according to immigrant advocates and a Jefferson Parish official. The arrests within a courthouse mark an escalation of Trump's immigration agenda. #lalege #lagov

Family of 2-year-old Louisiana girl deported to Honduras drops case against Trump administration The attorney for the girl's father said the decision was necessary to assess next steps.

News: The father of a two-year-old Louisiana-born girl deported to Honduras has dismissed a legal challenge against the Trump administration, citing "the traumatizing experiences the families have been through" since the girl was deported with her mother and older sister last month. #lalege #lagov

He arrived to a citizenship appointment in New Orleans. Under Trump, ICE arrested him. An undocumented Honduran man married to a U.S. citizen arrived at a customs appointment in New Orleans this month, hoping to secure citizenship himself. Instead, ICE arrested him.

Story:

ICYMI: Criminal prosecutions of immigration-related felonies have surged in Louisiana since Trump took office, per a
@nolanews.bsky.social review of federal court records and Justice Department data. #lalege #lagov

A 2-year-old U.S. citizen from Louisiana was deported to Honduras, federal judge says Trump administration officials deported a 2-year-old U.S. citizen from New Orleans to Honduras this week with "no meaningful process," a judge in Louisiana wrote in a court order late Friday.

NEW: A 2-year-old Louisiana girl who is a U.S. citizen was deported by Trump administration officials Friday with "no meaningful process," a federal judge says.

#lalege #lagov