In a national exclusive, AP revealed the first details of the Trump administration’s “Swamp Sweep” immigration crackdown in Louisiana — reporting that left other outlets scrambling to catch up.
New Orleans reporter Jack Brook obtained sensitive planning documents that outlined a plan to deploy 250 federal agents to the state with a goal of making 5,000 arrests. The scoop was the result of deep sourcing Brook cultivated in just one year on the beat, persuading contacts to share restricted records that exposed the scope of the operation.
Brook worked closely with editors Elliot Spagat and Mike Balsamo to vet the material and corroborate key details. He also partnered with correspondent Sara Cline to publish a follow-up that examined why Louisiana — and New Orleans in particular — had become central to the Trump-era deportation strategy.
The exclusive triggered widespread pickup: AP’s reporting was cited by Fox News, NBC News, The Times-Picayune and others, none of which could match the depth or documentation behind AP’s scoop. The work stood out as a model of rigorous sourcing, editorial collaboration and regional reporting with national impact.
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