James Finn

I'm an investigative reporter at The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, where I focus on federal law enforcement and its overlap with local politics and government. My recent reporting has focused on the federal corruption investigation of former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, changes sweeping the Trump Justice Department, ICE detention facilities and the impact of federal immigration enforcement on Louisiana communities.

I previously covered New Orleans politics, breaking numerous stories on the city's 2025 mayoral race and Cantrell's embattled outgoing administration. Before that, I covered state government and law enforcement for The Advocate in Baton Rouge, leading coverage of a $45 billion state budget and Gov. Jeff Landry's criminal justice overhaul. I've won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and have reported from the U.S.–Mexico border, every New Orleans neighborhood and the eye of Hurricane Ida. I speak fluent Spanish and hold a bachelor's degree in history from Middlebury College.