Louisiana 'Swamp Sweep' Federal Enforcement Exp...

By Hollie Silverman

Deputy Weekend Editor

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Around 250 federal border agents are expected to launch a monthslong immigration enforcement operation known as "Swamp Sweep" beginning Monday across southeast Louisiana and into parts of Mississippi, targeting approximately 5,000 individuals for arrest, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

In a statement to Newsweek on Sunday morning, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country. We do not discuss future or potential operations."

Newsweek has reached out Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, both Republicans, for comment on Sunday.

Why It Matters

The upcoming operation is the latest in a series of federal immigration enforcement efforts run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Democratic-run cities as President Donald Trump’s administration pursues its mass deportation agenda.

It also comes just weeks after Operation Charlotte's Web saw the arrest of dozens of migrants in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The “Swamp Sweep” operation reflects a significant increase in federal enforcement activity in cities that have resisted cooperating with federal immigration authorities. New Orleans, which is classified as a "sanctuary city" by the Department of Justice, has been at the center of this controversy, especially given Louisiana’s strict state-level immigration laws.

The operation demonstrates heightened tensions between city officials advocating for immigrant protections and federal authorities enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

What To Know

Planning documents reviewed by the AP earlier this month show Border Patrol agents will fan out across neighborhoods and commercial centers from New Orleans through Jefferson, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany parishes as well as additional activity planned in southeastern Mississippi.

The operations will utilize local federal infrastructure, including staging equipment at the FBI’s New Orleans field office and a nearby naval base.

Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has led operations in Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte, is expected to helm the campaign, according to the AP.

In past operations, residents and protesters have ended up in violent clashes with federal agents. In Chicago, agents descended by helicopter into a residential complex and used tear gas and pepper balls against protesters, leading to legal challenges and condemnation from a federal judge.

According to federal data cited by the AP, the majority of immigrants detained in Chicago did not have criminal records that represented imminent public safety threats.

Meanwhile, the city jail in New Orleans, under longstanding oversight from a federal judge, does not cooperate with ICE under most circumstances, and its police department views immigration enforcement as a civil matter outside its jurisdiction, the AP reported. Meanwhile, Louisiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature has passed laws to compel city agencies to align with the White House's hardline immigration stance.

Louisiana has enacted strict immigration enforcement statutes, including making it a crime to hinder federal enforcement. Other laws require state officials to cooperate with requests from ICE and prohibit the release of individuals with unauthorized U.S. residency from custody without ICE notification.

In anticipation of the operation, immigration attorneys reported increased demand for legal consultations and noted that many community members have been reluctant to leave their homes, the AP reported. Signs barring federal agents from businesses have also appeared, and nonprofit organizations have organized training on legal rights and documentation.

New Orleans’s foreign-born population is about 6.7 percent, below the national average, but the region’s Hispanic population has grown significantly since Hurricane Katrina. According to Pew Research Center estimates, 110,000 undocumented immigrants resided in Louisiana as of 2023, mainly from Honduras.

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What People Are Saying

Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino wrote last week on X: “Let us be clear: When individuals who are not lawfully present in our country commit crimes or violate our immigration laws, they pose a direct threat to the safety and security of our neighborhoods. We are committed to upholding the rule of law. Charlotte needs us, and we will continue to get the job done. Our resolve to protect American citizens and enforce our laws is unwavering."

Amanda Toups, a local business owner, told the AP: “If you’re scaring off even 5 percent of tourism, that’s devastating. You’re brown and walking around in town somewhere and you could get tackled by ICE and you’re an American citizen? Does that make you want to travel to New Orleans?”