SUMMARY: Two new Louisiana laws, effective mid-2025, require state agencies and public colleges to collect and share data on undocumented immigrants, including reporting ineligible applicants for benefits to federal immigration authorities. Act 419 mandates tracking immigration status of those using state services, while Act 351 requires reporting applicants denied benefits like SNAP or Medicaid to ICE. These laws follow federal efforts to expand data collection, raising fears that immigrant families, including those with U.S. citizen children, may avoid public benefits out of fear. Implementation details remain unclear, causing concern among immigrant advocates about increased isolation and chilling effects on access to essential services.

Read the full article

The post New immigrant-tracking laws take effect in Louisiana appeared first on thecurrentla.com

SUMMARY: Hurricane Erin is intensifying in the western Atlantic with 110-mph winds, located 665 miles southwest of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center forecasts it will move north-northwest then northeast, passing east of the Bahamas and between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda. Currently a Category 2 hurricane, Erin may fluctuate in strength while expanding. Hurricane-force winds extend 80 miles from its center, with tropical storm-force winds reaching 205 miles. Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches are active for parts of the Bahamas and North Carolina, where mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Two other tropical disturbances in the Atlantic show potential for development later this week.

Read the full article

The post Hurricane Erin to grow larger as two other tropical spots linger behind appeared first on wgno.com

SUMMARY: The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office (LLA) issued a comprehensive rebuttal after former Mayor-President Josh Guillory criticized their investigative audit into the 2022 secret removal of spoil banks in St. Martin Parish. The audit found that Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) violated multiple local, state, and federal laws by conducting the $3.7 million flood-control project without proper permits or jurisdiction and bypassing public bidding procedures. Guillory called the LLA corrupt and politically motivated, even posting derogatory images online. The LLA refuted these claims, clarifying their processes, timelines, and legal standing, and forwarded findings for possible prosecution. Guillory declined substantive interview opportunities during the investigation.

Read the full article

The post State auditor claps back at former M-P Guillory – The Current appeared first on thecurrentla.com