New Orleans-area faith, business and civic leaders on Wednesday asked the Jefferson Parish Council to protest Border Patrol’s presence in the area, the first public confrontation parish leaders have had with the issue after largely staying mum since arrests began last week.
Roughly two dozen people urged members to demand that Border Patrol agents remove their masks and be more transparent about their operations.
“Hispanic families and entrepreneurs have rooted themselves here, strengthened industries and enriched neighborhoods,” Mayra Pineda, CEO of the Metairie-based Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, told the council. “It is only just that they feel safe, valued and protected in the place they call home.”…