A Louisiana civil court judge on Monday halted state agencies' plans to forcibly clear homeless encampments in New Orleans. Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Ethel Julien issued a temporary restraining order blocking state police and two other agencies from evicting homeless people from their encampments in New Orleans or seizing their property without following city laws and due process.

Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry earlier this month pushed the city of New Orleans to clear out the homeless encampments ahead of the upcoming holiday, and threatened to intervene if they failed to do so.

State agents had already begun distributing notices warning unhoused residents to leave within 24 hours or face relocation to a state-designated site.

A judge halts homeless sweeps in New Orleans with a restraining order, escalating tensions between Governor Jeff Landry and city officials over homelessness solutions