type: timeline_event
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino walked through the French Quarter of New Orleans on December 3, 2025, the first day of DHS's "Operation Catahoula Crunch." More than 200 federal officers deployed to conduct a monthlong sweep with an initial target of 5,000 arrests.
Text messages recorded by journalist Ford Fischer captured Bovino's attitude toward the operation. From the parking lot of an apartment complex in Kenner, surrounded by armed agents, Bovino texted: "Kind of cool we are a massive wrecking crew. The idiots can't do anything to us..." followed by "Massive disturbance at apartment complex in Kenner. We are running tags and such."
The operation heavily targeted Kenner, a suburb northwest of New Orleans with the region's largest Latin American population, mostly Honduran. Hispanic residents urged the Kenner City Council to refuse collaboration with federal immigration enforcement, describing the operation as "devastating" to their community. Immigrant-run businesses closed to protect customers and out of fear of harassment.
Despite the aggressive rhetoric and disruption, results fell far short of targets. Over the first four days, Bovino's team made just 38 arrests - of whom only 9 (about 24%) had criminal records, consistent with national data showing over 70% of those arrested have no criminal convictions. By December 18, total arrests reached approximately 370, well below the 5,000 target.
In early January 2026, federal officers abruptly pulled out of Louisiana and headed to Minneapolis, ending the operation earlier than the planned February conclusion. Bovino was seen in Minneapolis during the week of the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Renee Good.