Research Note
Researched
Mississippi — Swamp Sweep/Catahoula Crunch enforcement operations Dec 2025
MS
Overview
In late November/early December 2025, approximately 250 federal Border Patrol agents launched a two-month immigration crackdown targeting southeast Louisiana and southeast Mississippi. The operation used two names: “Swamp Sweep” and “Catahoula Crunch.” The goal was to arrest roughly 5,000 people across the combined region.
Timeline
- Late November 2025: Equipment staging begins
- December 1, 2025: Full operation launch
- Duration: Two months (through ~February 2026)
- Command post: FBI New Orleans field office
- Military support: Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans allocated for 90 days
Mississippi Areas Targeted
- Hancock County (Gulf Coast, bordering Louisiana)
- Pearl River County (bordering Louisiana)
- Mississippi Gulf Coast generally
- Southeast Mississippi broadly
Agencies Involved
- U.S. Border Patrol (~250 agents)
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Mississippi Attorney General’s Office (Lynn Fitch expressed support)
- Mississippi State Auditor’s Office (offered partnership)
Community Impact
- Mississippi immigrant communities experienced fear even though arrests were more sporadic than in Louisiana
- Health care providers documented a sudden drop-off in immigrant patients seeking care
- ICE activity confirmed in Pass Christian, Biloxi, and other Gulf Coast communities (per community reports on social media)
State Official Support
- Governor Tate Reeves: “If you are in our state legally, then you have nothing to worry about”
- AG Lynn Fitch: Emphasized efforts against human trafficking and drug cartels
Connection to Mississippi Infrastructure
Detainees swept up in these operations flow through Mississippi’s IGSA jails (Hancock County, Madison County) en route to major facilities (Adams County Correctional Center, Louisiana facilities). This operation demonstrates why the Gulf Coast county jail network matters — it serves as the intake funnel for regional enforcement surges.