The Department of Homeland Security will deploy about 250 federal border agents in a two-month operation called "Swamp Sweep", starting Dec. 1, aiming to arrest nearly 5,000 people across southeastern Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. Agents will stage in New Orleans before moving into surrounding parishes and north toward Baton Rouge. Officials offered limited public comment, and additional enforcement activity may be planned for other cities as the nationwide effort expands.
DHS Launches 'Swamp Sweep': 250 Agents to Target Nearly 5,000 in Louisiana and Mississippi
The Department of Homeland Security will deploy about 250 federal border agents in a two-month operation called "Swamp Sweep", starting Dec. 1, aiming to arrest nearly 5,000 people across southeastern Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. Agents will stage in New Orleans before moving into surrounding parishes and north toward Baton Rouge. Officials offered limited public comment, and additional enforcement activity may be planned for other cities as the nationwide effort expands.
07:12 PM, 11/19/2025Security
The Department of Homeland Security is preparing a two-month enforcement operation, dubbed "Swamp Sweep," that will deploy roughly 250 federal border agents to southeastern Louisiana and parts of Mississippi with the stated goal of making nearly 5,000 arrests.
Operation timeline and scope
The initiative is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1. Agents are expected to stage equipment and vehicles in New Orleans before dispersing into local communities. Planned activity will cover New Orleans and nearby parishes — including Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany — and will extend north toward Baton Rouge. Additional enforcement in southeastern Mississippi is also being planned, though officials have provided limited details about those locations.
Official statements and local response
A DHS spokesperson said, "For the safety and security of law enforcement, we’re not going to telegraph potential operations." Representatives for Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves did not immediately provide comment.
Context and wider enforcement
The operation is one of the largest single-state deployments of immigration authorities under the current administration and comes as federal officers have been sent to other major cities earlier this year. A senior border official indicated that additional operations are being prepared for other large urban areas, signaling the enforcement effort may expand in the weeks ahead.
What to watch: Timing of the operation, how local law enforcement coordinates with federal agents, and how community leaders and elected officials respond will shape the public conversation in affected areas.
Details remain limited while authorities finalize logistics and deployment. The plan described here is based on internal documents and comments from people familiar with the operation.