Illegal Alien Police Recruit Arrested In Blue City

A New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) recruit was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to his immigration status.

The individual, identified as Larry Temah, 46, originally from Cameroon, had been enrolled in the department’s police academy and was approximately one week from graduation at the time of the arrest.

According to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Temah entered the United States legally in 2015 on a visitor visa. He later obtained conditional residency through marriage to a U.S. citizen.

In 2022, his application for permanent residency (green card) was denied on grounds of fraud. Following the denial, Temah was required to appear in immigration court on three occasions but did not attend.

An immigration judge in Georgia issued a removal order in absentia on December 5 of last year.

ICE stated that Temah lacked valid work authorization and was not legally permitted to possess a firearm, which is generally prohibited for individuals in the country without legal status under federal law. As part of his recruitment, Temah had been issued a firearm by the NOPD.

The agency noted that it is a felony for someone in his position to possess a firearm.

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick addressed the incident on January 28, 2026, stating that the department learned of the situation that morning. “We learned about it this morning,” she said. “There was no struggle involved. The recruit was taken into custody without any incident whatsoever.”

Kirkpatrick further explained that Temah applied to the department in June 2025, provided a valid driver’s license and Social Security number, had resided in the U.S. for about a decade, and cleared all required background checks, including through the E-Verify system.

Temah is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings. The incident has prompted discussions between the NOPD and ICE about potential ways to identify similar immigration issues during future hiring processes.

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