250 border agents deploy for ‘Swamp Sweep’ in New Orleans area, Mississippi

An immigration enforcement operation nicknamed “Swamp Sweep,” targeting about 5,000 arrests, is scheduled to begin Monday in southeast Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. The Department of Homeland Security declined to discuss “future or potential operations,” a spokesperson told Newsweek.

Newsweek reports that about 250 agents will utilize the region’s federal infrastructure for the operation, staging out of a nearby naval base and the FBI’s New Orleans field office. From there, teams are expected to move into southeastern Mississippi and across multiple Louisiana parishes, including St. Bernard, Jefferson, St. Tammany and New Orleans itself.

Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who directed high-profile campaigns in Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte, is expected to lead “Swamp Sweep,” The Associated Press reported.

How Louisiana law collides with New Orleans policy

The Justice Department has listed New Orleans among 18 so-called sanctuary cities, asserting that the city’s jail rarely cooperates with ICE and that police treat immigration enforcement as a civil matter outside their jurisdiction.

However, recent state legislation exposes local officials to malfeasance charges if they refuse ICE requests, criminalizes hindering federal enforcement, and forbids the release of certain detainees without first notifying immigration authorities.

What residents and businesses are doing ahead of the operation

Local businesses and families are taking precautions. NOLA.com reports that Taqueria Guerrero, a Mexican restaurant in Mid-City, has temporarily closed to ensure the safety of its staff and customers. 

Meanwhile, the AP notes that nonprofits are conducting rights workshops and some businesses are posting signs denying entry to federal agents. Immigration lawyers also report a spike in calls from families who are stockpiling food and coordinating school transportation to minimize their time in public.

What prior crackdowns showed about arrests and risk 

In recent Chicago operations, federal agents made more than 3,200 arrests. But court files reviewed for roughly 600 cases showed only a handful of those arrested had criminal records representing a “high public safety risk,” the AP reported. 

Agents rappelled from a helicopter into a residential complex and used pepper balls and tear gas against protesters, prompting lawsuits and a federal judge’s rebuke. The judge accused Bovino of lying.

Bovino defended his approach. “We’re finding and arresting illegal aliens,” he wrote on X, “making these communities safer for the Americans who live there.”

Why the local footprint and demographics matter

Foreign-born residents account for about 6.7% of New Orleans’ population of nearly 400,000 and almost 10% of residents in neighboring metro areas, the AP reported. Both figures are below the 14.3% national average. The Pew Research Center estimates that about 110,000 immigrants lacking permanent legal status lived in Louisiana as of 2023, representing 2.4% of the state’s population. The largest number came from Honduras.

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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief

Ella Greene

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