NEW ORLEANS, La. — A civil court judge in Louisiana has recently put a stop to the state’s plans to forcibly clear homeless encampments within New Orleans.
Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Ethel Julien granted a temporary restraining order on Monday that prohibits state police and two other agencies from evicting homeless individuals or confiscating their belongings without adhering to local laws and due process.
Earlier this month, Republican Governor Jeff Landry had urged the city to dismantle a significant encampment ahead of Thanksgiving and threatened to step in if city officials failed to act.
“If a judge believes that people have a right to be on whatever public space they choose, maybe that judge should have them move into her chambers and courtroom,” Landry remarked following the issuance of the restraining order.
According to Louisiana State Police spokesperson Sgt. Katharine Stegall, the agency’s legal team, alongside the state Attorney General’s Office, is currently reviewing the order.
Stegall added that the state police have “promptly halted activities” in compliance with the restrictions imposed by the court.
Tensions between Landry and New Orleans officials have been ongoing regarding the city’s approach to addressing homelessness.
Councilmember Lesli Harris emphasized on Monday that prioritizing resources to help homeless individuals secure stable housing is far more effective than conducting punitive encampment sweeps.
“Coordination between the government and service providers on the housing of people is imperative, and continuously moving people only makes it that much harder to house them,” Harris explained.
The governor, however, continues to advocate for the clearing of encampments. In late October, multiple state agencies had moved against a homeless encampment under a highway, displacing dozens of individuals in advance of pop singer Taylor Swift’s concerts held at the nearby Superdome.
Returning individuals discovered that they had lost various personal possessions, including family heirlooms, IDs, and medications, as noted in court documents.
Local officials and advocates expressed concerns about the impact of these evictions on efforts to find lasting housing solutions, as displaced individuals became increasingly difficult to track.
Although a judge initially granted a temporary restraining order to prevent further clearances, this order was not extended beyond early November, following assurances from lawyers for the state police that eviction actions related to the concerts had ended.
However, on Friday, flyers began circulating among the homeless population, with state police directing individuals to vacate their encampments within 24 hours.
This new wave of enforcement came before the Bayou Classic football game scheduled for Saturday at the Superdome.
The flyers labeled their presence as a violation, according to a motion for relief filed by two homeless individuals in collaboration with the Southern Poverty Law Center and other legal organizations.
Fortunately, these intended sweeps were put on hold by the newly issued temporary restraining order.
A hearing is set for December 3, where the judge will evaluate the possibility of granting a preliminary injunction against the three state agencies involved.
“The vulnerable people with disabilities who make up the vast majority of people living in the street deserve to be treated with sensitivity and compassion,” said Joe Heeren-Mueller, the director of community engagement for Unity of Greater New Orleans, an organization focused on homeless outreach.
Recent statistics from a January survey by Unity of Greater New Orleans indicated there are approximately 1,450 homeless individuals in New Orleans and the surrounding Jefferson Parish, with the city aiming to secure permanent housing for these individuals by the close of 2025.