Residents turn out for Cleo Fields town hall at SUSLA Metro Center

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Residents packed a lecture hall at Southern University Metro Center in downtown Shreveport for a town hall hosted by Congressman Cleo Fields.

Fields represents Louisiana’s Sixth Congressional District and was in Shreveport in late February to speak to constituents. Friday night’s town hall addressed cuts to the federal workforce.

It is estimated that around 100,000 federal workers have either accepted a proposed buyout or were fired, and many of the firings are being challenged in federal courts. Fields said he returned to hear from his constituents to learn what is happening in the district and improve elected leaders.

“You’ve got a guy who has not been confirmed by the Senate just walking into offices telling people to go home. And then getting on stage with a chainsaw to brag about how he sent a veteran home today,” Fields said. “It’s just unconscionable; this is not the way our federal government should be working.”

Fields said the Supreme Court will ultimately decide the constitutionality of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s actions, which have not sought congressional approval, are legal within the scope of presidential authority.

“These are real people, real families that are being affected by these draconian moves,” Fields said.

Fields said the Congress has to control the “foolish things” happening in the country and is hopeful that the unrest and knee-jerk decision-making at the executive level will cease.

On Monday, March 24, the United States Supreme Court will hear the case questioning the legality of Fields’ district, which was created as the state’s majority-minority district after the 2020 U.S. Census. Several white residents of Louisiana have sued the state, claiming the Louisiana Legislature relied too much on race in determining the scope of the district, calling it a gerrymandered district. Fields said he plans to be there for the hearing.

“The court is going to have an opportunity to hear both sides, and they will learn that the Louisiana Legislature did the right thing. They complied with all principles of redistricting. The district looks like it looks not solely because of race but because of politics.”

Fields said his district does not look much different from any other district. He described the ever-evolving districts across the state and their odd shapes, or even the fact that some districts were moved from one area to another to support political interests.

“The Supreme Court is not expecting the Louisiana Legislature to take the politics out of politics,” Fields said. He feels confident that when the justices hear the arguments, they will determine that race was not the main factor in the district’s outcome.