Louisiana
Louisiana attorney general takes on New Orleans ‘sanctuary city’ policy, murder sentences
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks at a Nov. 29, 2023, news conference at the Superdome in New Orleans. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)
Attorney General Liz Murrill has gone to federal court to end what she and other Republican state leaders consider “sanctuary city” policies in New Orleans. She is also lobbing criticism for what she considers are reduced criminal sentences in murder cases.
Murrill filed a motion Thursday with the U.S. District Court in New Orleans that would force the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office to abandon policy that limits the law enforcement agency from carrying out warrants for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) only when suspects are accused of violent crime. Deputies also cannot ask detainees about their immigration status and share that information with federal authorities.
In a social media post, the attorney general framed her legal action as aligned with President Donald Trump’s immigration policy “to end the wave of violent crime and drugs that has swept across this nation from the southern border for the last eight years.”
“The people of Louisiana, through their representatives in the Legislature, have adamantly rejected ‘sanctuary’ policies that shield those who have broken our laws and endanger the men, women, and children of this State,” Murrill wrote.
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Through her spokeswoman, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said she had not seen the attorney general’s court filing as of late Thursday. The OPSO has complied with state law and a federal court consent decree that set parameters for interactions between the sheriff’s office and ICE.
“We enforce ICE detainers when doing so aligns with our legal obligations,” Hutson said in a statement.
The consent decree was issued under Hutson’s predecessor, Marlin Gusman, in 2013, following a federal lawsuit that triggered an investigation into poor conditions and maltreatment of incarcerated people at Orleans Parish Prison.
The consent decree policy conflicts with a law the Louisiana Legislature approved last year that forbids state agencies and local governments from putting any “sanctuary city” policies in place that shield immigrants from law enforcement. If a city or parish doesn’t obey the law, the attorney general can sue in 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge to compel their compliance. The state could also withhold money from a city or parish as punishment under the measure Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, sponsored.
Murrill filed her motion to intervene in federal court because it has oversight of the OPSO consent decree.
Reduced murder sentences
Murrill announced Friday on social media that she intends to review certain murder cases in New Orleans to determine whether sentences were improperly reduced. Her statement was in response to an investigative report from WDSU-TV into convicted murderers whose sentences were reduced at the request of the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
“I’m continuing to conduct a very in-depth review of a large body of cases,” Murrill wrote. “There are at least 35 cases that involve first-degree or second-degree murder, where I believe that relief was improperly granted. I’m looking at mechanisms to have the convictions reinstated.”
Reached via text message, District Attorney Jason Williams said his office has been transparent about its work with the attorney general, and his staff plans to meet with Murrill once her review is complete.
“My jurisdiction has been an outlier in past defective convictions – and that has sunk public trust in our system which has made it harder to prosecute violent crime and historically has made us less safe,” Williams wrote. “We can only have public safety in New Orleans when people believe the justice system works equally and fairly for everyone, not just the well-heeled and or connected.”
Soon after she took office in January 2024, Murrill and Williams, a Democrat, forged an agreement that allows the attorney general to prosecute criminal cases stemming from arrests by the newly established Louisiana State Police troop in New Orleans.
“I did not let party affiliations of national politics get in the way of public safety locally, and I welcome our discourse on the cases she is reviewing. We both have the same mission, making our home a safer space than we found it,” Williams wrote.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, left, speaks at a Nov. 29, 2093, news conference with Gov.-elect Jeff Landry at the Superdome in New Orleans. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)
Gov. Jeff Landry has credited state police Troop NOLA for a dramatic reduction in crime in New Orleans. So far in 2025, there has been a 38% decrease in crime based on data provided to city council members. That includes 20 murders this year, including the 14 people killed in the New Year’s Day terrorist attack. Excluding those deaths, the city is well below the murder counts reported for the same period in the previous three years.
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The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 30, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Oct. 30 drawing
3-9-7
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Oct. 30 drawing
6-7-1-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from Oct. 30 drawing
1-3-6-0-7
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Louisiana
How many people in Louisiana could lose SNAP? What to know about state’s food stamp program
Video of Akron-Canton Foodbank preparing to help SNAP recipients
Colleen Benson, senior director of development at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, reassures families that it is ready to provide food resources.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the most effective anti-hunger program in the U.S., reaching around 41 million people in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
This program plays a critical role in reducing poverty, improving health and economic outcomes, supporting people who are paid low wages, as well as serving as the first line of defense against hunger during economic downturns.
In Louisiana, hundreds of thousands of residents rely on SNAP, with more than 16% of the state’s population receiving SNAP benefits, according to the USDA.
Who all benefits from SNAP? What to know in Louisiana
SNAP helped approximately 41,697,500 people in the U.S., which is 12% of the total population, or one in eight citizens, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
In 2024, SNAP helped 847,100 people in Louisiana, or 18% of the state’s population, which equates to one in five residents, according to the CBPP.
In Louisiana, over 69% of SNAP participants are in families with children, over 37% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled, and over 35% are in working families, says the CBPP.
Majority of SNAP participants in the state have incomes below the poverty line, with 41% having income at or below 50% of the poverty line, 44% having income between 51 to 100% of the poverty line and 15% having income 100% above the poverty line, according to CBPP’s analysis of USDA data.
Many households in Louisiana struggle to put food on the table, with 16.2% of households living in food insecurity, 18.9% of the population living below the poverty line, 25% of children living in families below the poverty line and 14.2% of older adults living below the poverty line, according to the CBPP.
What benefits do SNAP participants receive in Louisiana?
SNAP benefits are targeted according to need, with very low-income households receiving more in benefits than households closer to the povery line because they need more assistance affording adequate food.
In Louisiana, SNAP participants received approximately $1.9 billion in benefits in 2024, according to the CBPP.
These were the average monthly SNAP benefits for the fiscal year 2022 in Louisiana, according to a data analysis by CBPP:
- All households: $336
- Households with children: $551
- Working households: $418
- Households with older adults: $150
- Households with non-elderly disabled individuals: $276
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
Mechanic starting a new career at age 60 has some advice
Mike Witt turned 60 the same month he graduated from a Ford program that seeks to produce new mechanics with the help of local partners.
CareerMinds, a global outplacement and career management partner, carried out a survey of 3,002 workers based on career development opportunities.
CareerMinds found that upskilling has become less of an optional, extra step and more of a career essential.
Taking this into account, CareerMinds developed a map that highlights the company in each state where workers have the most opportunities for upskilling and career progression.
Ochsner Health said to be the best company in Louisiana for career development. What to know
In CareerMinds’ survey, Louisiana residents voted Ochsner Health as the company they would most like to work for.
The study found that healthcare companies are sought-after, as states with major medical systems saw increased interest in healthcare employers and upskilling within medicine.
This year, Ochsner Health was named on Fortune Magazine’s “Best Workplaces in Health Care” list, with 82% of employees saying the company is a great place to work, according to Great Place to Work.
Additionally, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the number one hospital in Louisiana for 14 censecutive years and Ochsner Children’s as the number one hospital for children for four consecutive years, according to Great Place to Work.
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering care at its 46 hospitals and over 370 health and urgent care centers, says Great Place to Work.
The best companies for career development for 2025 in each state according to CareerMinds
- Alabama: Mercedez-Benz U.S. International
- Alaska: Northern Alaska Tour Company
- Arizona: Intel Corporation
- Arkansas: Walmart
- California: Kaiser Permanente
- Colorado: Lockheed Martin
- Connecticut: Hartford HealthCare
- Delaware: DuPont
- Florida: Royal Caribbean Group
- Georgia: Coca-Cola
- Hawaii: Hawaiin Airlines
- Idaho: Micron Technology
- Illinois: United Airlines
- Indiana: Cummins
- Iowa: Principal Financial Group
- Kansas: Garmin
- Kentucky: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky
- Louisiana: Ochsner Health
- Maine: L.L. Bean
- Maryland: Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Massachusetts: Boston Scientific
- Michigan: General Motors
- Minnesota: Target Corporation
- Mississippi: Peavey Electronics
- Missouri: Boeing Defense, Space & Security
- Montana: Glacier Bancorp
- Nebraska: Union Pacific Railroad
- Nevada: MGM Resorts International
- New Hampshire: Fidelity Investments
- New Jersey: Merck & Co.
- New Mexico: Intel Corporation
- New York: Pfizer
- North Carolina: Bank of America
- North Dakota: Bobcat Company
- Ohio: Procter & Gamble
- Oklahoma: Devon Energy
- Oregon: Nike
- Pennsylvania: Hershey Company
- Rhode Island: Brown University
- South Carolina: Prisma Health
- South Dakota: First PREMIER Bank/ PREMIER Bankcard
- Tennessee: Venderbilt University Medical Center
- Texas: AT&T
- Utah: Intermountain Health
- Vermont: GlobalFoundries
- Virginia: Capital One
- Washington: Amazon
- West Virginia: CAMC Health System
- Wisconsin: Harley-Davidson
- Wyoming: Wyoming Medical Center
Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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