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New Orleans Station

Physical Address:
3819 Patterson Road
New Orleans, LA 70114

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 6218
New Orleans, LA 70174

Phone: (504) 376-2830
Fax: (504) 376-2836

New Orleans Station

The New Orleans station was first established in 1927 to control deserting crewmen and prevent the illegal entry of aliens along the Gulf of Mexico coastline. Prohibition had resulted in the clandestine operation by alcohol smugglers, primarily by boat from islands in the Caribbean. These smugglers would frequently include undocumented aliens in their cargo also. The booming economy of the late 1920's prompted many alien crewmen to desert their ships to seek jobs ashore. In 1933, the Volstead Act was repealed and liquor smuggling ceased for all practical purposes and alien smuggling decreased. During the Depression, the New Orleans station was closed as an economic measure.

In 1941, the station was reestablished, because of the need to control the large number of crewmen desertions at the Port of New Orleans and an influx of other undocumented aliens into the area. During 1942, as a result of World War II, the need for maintaining tight security along the Gulf Coast arose, and several temporary stations were established in the area. These stations were responsible for preventing the landing of enemy agents and saboteurs along the coast, and their infiltration into the interior of the United States. These temporary stations remained open for about six months.

At the end of the war, the station's force was reduced and normal operations resumed. These operations included crewman control, ship search, checking transients and task force operations to Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, and checking for undocumented aliens on farms and ranches.

In 1958, the station was assigned the primary mission of controlling desertions of alien crewmen entering into the Port of New Orleans. This is still a priority of the station today.

In addition to crewman control, the station today handles the full scope of Border Patrol activities including city patrol, employer sanctions investigations, criminal aliens, anti-smuggling and transportation checks of commercial carriers.

Last Modified: May 30, 2019