OSINT Geographic Sweep: SOUTHEAST REGION¶
ICE/CBP Violence, Deaths & Operations¶
Period: February 1-8, 2026
Conducted: February 8, 2026
Analyst: oilcloth
METHODOLOGY¶
Systematic sweep of 12 Southeast states using combinations of:
- "[State] ICE detention death 2026"
- "[State] immigration agents shooting 2026"
- "[State] CBP arrest violence February 2026"
- "[State] immigration raid February 2026"
- "[State] ICE operations 2026"
- "[State] deportation 2026"
Additional targeted searches for known hotspots (Deyton Detention Center GA, Adams County MS, Angola LA, Krome FL, Baker County FL).
Sources cross-referenced against: PBS, NBC News, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, American Prospect, ACLU, state-level media (Virginia Mercury, Mountain State Spotlight, Mississippi Today, Louisiana Illuminator, Tennessee Lookout, Georgia Public Broadcasting), ICE.gov, DHS.gov, Wikipedia.
States covered: Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas
PRIORITY 1: DEATHS¶
GEORGIA: Heber Sanchez Dominguez dies at Robert A. Deyton Detention Center¶
Date: January 14, 2026
Priority: 1
Type: death (custody)
Victim(s): Heber Sanchez Dominguez, 34, Mexican national, father of two (one child has Down syndrome)
Location: Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility, Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia
Details: Sanchez Dominguez was found hanging by the neck and unresponsive in his sleeping quarters at 2:05 AM, just six days after arrest on a traffic violation (driving without a license). Staff attempted lifesaving measures and transported him to Piedmont Henry Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:09 AM. He was awaiting his first immigration hearing. The facility is privately operated by GeoGroup. The Mexican consulate in Atlanta demanded an investigation. He is the third Mexican national to die in ICE custody in Georgia in the past year.
Source(s): ICE.gov press release, FOX 5 Atlanta, AJC, Al Jazeera, Austin Kocher Substack
Confidence: HIGH (multiple independent sources, official ICE confirmation)
Status: KNOWN (occurred Jan 14, within broader tracking window)
MISSISSIPPI: Delvin Francisco Rodriguez dies after detention at Adams County¶
Date: December 15, 2025
Priority: 1
Type: death (custody)
Victim(s): Delvin Francisco Rodriguez, 39, Nicaraguan national
Location: Adams County Correctional Center, Natchez, Mississippi / Merit Health Natchez hospital
Details: Rodriguez was arrested by ICE in September 2025 and transferred to Adams County. He was hospitalized December 4 following a medical emergency, experienced a failed brain function test, and was removed from a ventilator per family wishes on December 15. He was one of four immigrants who died in ICE custody in a four-day span (Dec 12-15, 2025). Adams County has a documented history of OIG-identified detention standard violations and allegations of violence against detainees.
Source(s): Mississippi Today, Newsweek
Confidence: HIGH (official reporting, multiple sources)
Status: KNOWN (occurred Dec 15, 2025 -- pre-sweep window but relevant context for Adams County hotspot)
FLORIDA: Multiple prior deaths at Krome and Baker County (context for hotspot monitoring)¶
Date: 2025 (multiple incidents)
Priority: 1
Type: death (custody)
Victim(s): Maksym Chernyak (Ukrainian), Genry Donaldo Ruiz-Guillen (29, Honduran), Ben Owen (39, British -- suicide), Guerman Volkov (56, Russian)
Location: Krome Service Processing Center, Miami / Baker County Detention Center, Macclenny
Details: Three people died at Krome since October 2024. At Baker County ("Deportation Depot"), Ben Owen died by suicide 10 days after intake despite no prior mental health history -- he told his wife people there are treated "worse than animals." Guerman Volkov died of a bowel obstruction after medical staff repeatedly failed to provide prescribed care. An attorney described seeing women banging on doors at Krome, sleeping on floors, struggling for food and medical care. No new deaths reported Feb 1-8, but conditions remain documented as "inhumane" by Amnesty International.
Source(s): ACLU of Florida, NBC Miami, WPTV
Confidence: HIGH (documented deaths, attorney testimony, Amnesty International report)
Status: KNOWN -- no new deaths in sweep window but facility flagged as ongoing death risk
PRIORITY 2: VIOLENCE¶
No shootings, chemical weapons deployments, or documented physical assaults by ICE/CBP agents found in the Southeast region during Feb 1-8, 2026.¶
Note: The Southeast is NOT currently experiencing the same level of street confrontations as Minneapolis/Chicago/Portland. Enforcement in this region is primarily conducted through jail-based 287(g) programs and cooperative local law enforcement, which produces less visible confrontation but massive arrest numbers. The violence is structural (detention conditions, deaths in custody) rather than kinetic (street-level use of force).
PRIORITY 3: OPERATIONS¶
VIRGINIA: Governor Spanberger ends all state ICE cooperation agreements¶
Date: February 4-5, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: legal/policy
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Commonwealth of Virginia (statewide)
Details: Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) signed an executive directive ending all 287(g) agreements between ICE and Virginia State Police, Department of Corrections, Department of Wildlife, and Virginia Marine Resources Commission. This reverses former Gov. Youngkin's February 2025 order directing state police to use "all available methods" to assist ICE. Spanberger said the review found state police participation was "relatively minimal." The decision was partly inspired by the Renee Good and Alex Pretti killings in Minneapolis. Republicans sharply criticized the move.
Source(s): Virginia Mercury, Washington Post, WVTF, WTVR, Fox News
Confidence: HIGH (official executive order, multiple sources)
Status: NEW
VIRGINIA: Legislature advances bills limiting ICE activity¶
Date: February 2026 (advancing through committees)
Priority: 3
Type: legal
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Virginia General Assembly, Richmond
Details: A Democratic House subcommittee advanced bills including HB 650, which would prohibit most civil arrests in courthouses without a judicial warrant and shield people attending court from civil arrest. The legislation responds to reports of masked/unidentified ICE agents conducting civil arrests in and around courthouses.
Source(s): WTOP
Confidence: HIGH (official legislative proceedings)
Status: NEW
VIRGINIA: ACLU FOIA reveals ICE considering 7 new detention centers (2 in VA)¶
Date: February 2-3, 2026 (reporting date)
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Augusta Correctional Center (Craigsville, VA) and Hanover County warehouse (VA)
Details: ACLU/ACLU-VA/ACLU-NC FOIA litigation forced disclosure of 98 pages showing ICE is considering 7 new detention sites. Augusta CC, closed in 2024 due to staffing shortages, has a documented history of sexual assault and staff drug smuggling. Former Gov. Youngkin directed sale of Augusta CC on his last day in office; Spanberger rescinded that directive Jan 30. The Hanover County warehouse proposal was killed after hundreds protested at a Jan 28 Board of Supervisors hearing and the owner withdrew. One identified contractor: Response AI Solutions, LLC.
Source(s): ACLU press release, ACLU-VA, Virginia Mercury, Cardinal News
Confidence: HIGH (FOIA documents, official ACLU litigation)
Status: NEW
VIRGINIA: DHS weaponizes MS-13 arrest against Spanberger¶
Date: February 3, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: political/propaganda
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Northern Virginia
Details: DHS issued a press release announcing an MS-13 member who confessed to 5 murders was arrested "just weeks before Virginia Governor Spanberger ended ICE cooperation" -- timing clearly designed to undermine Spanberger's decision. This is DHS using its press apparatus for political messaging against a state governor.
Source(s): DHS.gov
Confidence: HIGH (official DHS press release)
Status: NEW
WEST VIRGINIA: Federal judges rule ICE detentions unconstitutional, order releases¶
Date: February 4-5, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: legal (court orders)
Victim(s): Danny Briceno-Solano (Venezuelan), Frezgi Kelete Mehari (Eritrean), Antony Segundo Larrazabal-Gonzalez (Venezuelan), Damary Alejandra Rodriguez Flores (Honduran), plus others
Location: U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia / South Central Regional Jail, Charleston
Details: Multiple federal judges (Johnston, Chambers, Goodwin -- all Bush appointees or senior judges) ruled that ICE detainees from "Operation Country Roads" were unconstitutionally detained and ordered their release. Judge Johnston wrote: "Today, immigrants are being detained without due process. Tomorrow, under the Government's interpretation of the law, American citizens could be subject to the same treatment." Judge Goodwin wrote: "Liberty is not a prize for procedural persistence. It is the baseline." At least 15 detainees had filed habeas petitions; more expected. South Central Regional Jail was at 556 inmates vs. 460 capacity.
Source(s): Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia Watch, WV Gazette-Mail
Confidence: HIGH (federal court rulings, multiple independent sources)
Status: NEW -- significant constitutional precedent
WEST VIRGINIA: Operation Country Roads aftermath -- 650+ arrested, jails overcrowded¶
Date: January 5-19, 2026 (operation); ongoing aftermath through Feb
Priority: 3
Type: mass operation/facility conditions
Victim(s): 650+ detained individuals
Location: Statewide -- Martinsburg, Moorefield, Morgantown, Beckley, Huntington, Charleston
Details: ICE Philadelphia deployed surge teams across WV, arresting 650+ people in a two-week operation involving 14 federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Some arrested at restaurants, some on I-77 during traffic stops. State jails are now severely overcrowded -- 252 immigrant detainees as of Jan 26, most at overcapacity facilities. ICE pays WV $90/day per detainee. The state legislature fast-tracked a bill criminalizing aiding immigrants to avoid detention.
Source(s): The Real WV, Fox News, Mountain State Spotlight
Confidence: HIGH
Status: KNOWN -- ongoing aftermath
WEST VIRGINIA: State criminalizes aiding immigrants¶
Date: February 2026 (advancing through legislature)
Priority: 3
Type: legal
Victim(s): N/A
Location: West Virginia House of Delegates
Details: The WV House quickly passed a bill creating a new state crime for anyone who helps an immigrant avoid being detained by authorities. This duplicates existing federal law and signals escalation of state-level immigration enforcement. Senate also advanced SB 615 mandating immediate transfer of any undocumented person to ICE.
Source(s): WV MetroNews
Confidence: HIGH (official legislative proceedings)
Status: NEW
NORTH CAROLINA: ACLU reveals 3 potential new ICE detention sites¶
Date: February 2, 2026 (reporting date)
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Rivers Correctional Facility (Winton), American Hebrew Academy (Greensboro), "Greensboro Detention Facility" (Greensboro)
Details: FOIA documents show ICE considering three NC sites. Rivers CF (GEO Group) previously lost federal contracts due to violence and sexual assault findings; former officers sentenced for contraband and bribery. The American Hebrew Academy is a 100-acre campus previously used for migrant children's detention (shut down 2024). Greensboro Mayor said city was not contacted and residents would not welcome this. Michele Delgado (ACLU-NC): "The heavily redacted documents we obtained through litigation expose disturbing expansion plans."
Source(s): ACLU-NC, WUNC, FOX8
Confidence: HIGH (FOIA documents, official ACLU litigation)
Status: NEW
NORTH CAROLINA: Courthouse ICE arrests spark monitoring program¶
Date: Late January - early February 2026
Priority: 3
Type: operations/civil liberties
Victim(s): Unnamed local man detained at Guilford County Courthouse
Location: Guilford County Courthouse, Greensboro area
Details: Siembra NC launched a courthouse monitoring initiative after alleged ICE arrest at Guilford County Courthouse. Coalition of NC clergy and immigrant advocates condemned the practice. Siembra NC Rapid Response Manager warned: "These courthouse arrests will convince more people in the Triad not to show up" for court dates. ICE arrested 3,300+ across NC in first 9 months of Trump's second term.
Source(s): WCNC
Confidence: MEDIUM (witness reports, advocacy group confirmation)
Status: NEW
SOUTH CAROLINA: ICE surveillance technology and 287(g) expansion¶
Date: February 2, 2026 (reporting date)
Priority: 3
Type: surveillance/operations
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Statewide
Details: SC Public Radio reported on ICE's deployment of surveillance technology including license plate readers, facial recognition tools, cellphone apps connecting to law enforcement databases, and Palantir's ELITE system. The number of SC agencies in ICE's 287(g) program jumped from 3 to 15. Reports of racial profiling during North Charleston operations (SLED pulling over "exclusively Latino-appearing drivers" before ICE moved in with unmarked vehicles).
Source(s): SC Public Radio, Post and Courier
Confidence: HIGH (public radio investigative reporting, court documents)
Status: NEW (reporting is new; operations are ongoing)
GEORGIA: DHS proceeds with Social Circle mega-warehouse purchase (up to 10,000 beds)¶
Date: February 5-6, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Social Circle, Walton County, Georgia (1.2M sq ft warehouse)
Details: DHS is in escrow to purchase a 1.2 million square-foot warehouse from PNK S1 LLC for conversion into an ICE detention facility holding up to 10,000 detainees -- tripling the town's population. City officials learned of the plan from Washington Post reporting, not from DHS. Facility could be operational by April 2026, creating 2,500 jobs. City says it lacks water/sewer infrastructure. DHS conducted engineering evaluation without city involvement. Congressman Collins opposes the location despite supporting ICE's mission. A second Georgia site in Jefferson was also named.
Source(s): GPB, Rockdale Newton Citizen, CBS Atlanta, Social Circle city statement
Confidence: HIGH (official city statements, congressional statements, multiple independent sources)
Status: NEW -- major facility expansion
GEORGIA: Protests across state against ICE enforcement¶
Date: January 28 - February 2, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: community response
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Atlanta (Buford Highway), Macon, University of Georgia, Wheeler High School (Marietta), Georgia State University
Details: Multiple protests erupted across Georgia in response to both local ICE activity and the Minneapolis killings. Hundreds gathered in Macon (Jan 28), demonstrators at Buford Highway shopping center (Jan 30), student walkouts at Wheeler HS and GSU. About 100 GSU students gathered at Library Plaza. Georgia's HB 1105 mandates law enforcement cooperation with ICE; about a third of GA arrests come from local LE turning people over.
Source(s): GPB
Confidence: HIGH (public broadcasting, eyewitness reporting)
Status: NEW
FLORIDA: Operation Tidal Wave exceeds 10,000 arrests¶
Date: February 2026 (milestone announcement)
Priority: 3
Type: mass operation
Victim(s): 10,400+ individuals arrested
Location: Statewide Florida
Details: Governor DeSantis announced Operation Tidal Wave, launched 8 months prior, surpassed 10,000 arrests. This is described as the first program of its kind -- a state-level 287(g) program where state agencies exercise immigration authority. Tampa Bay Times investigation found officers are "often taking whoever they can" despite state claims of targeting predators; a growing share of detainees had no criminal convictions.
Source(s): FL Governor press release, Tampa Bay Times
Confidence: HIGH (official state announcement, investigative journalism)
Status: NEW (milestone announcement)
FLORIDA: Civil rights groups issue World Cup travel alert¶
Date: February 5, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: international/civil liberties
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Miami / Hard Rock Stadium area
Details: Coalition including ACLU of Florida, Florida Immigrant Coalition, and American Friends Service Committee issued a travel alert for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (starting June 11), warning international visitors about heightened risk of random ICE arrests. Thomas Kennedy (FLIC): "Every law enforcement agency and state agency has been deputized to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement." Mexico previously issued "Do Not Travel" warning for Florida after Mexican tourists were detained at "Alligator Alcatraz" despite having valid visas. The coalition is calling on FIFA to ensure ICE is not present at matches.
Source(s): Local 10, Miami New Times, FIFAWorldCupNews
Confidence: HIGH (press conference, multiple independent sources)
Status: NEW
FLORIDA: Baker County "Deportation Depot" protests¶
Date: January 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility conditions/community response
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Baker County Detention Center, Macclenny (near Jacksonville)
Details: Florida residents protested at Baker County facility, which opened September 2025 at a former state prison. Organizations including Party for Socialism & Liberation, Baker Interfaith Friends, Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, and Florida Immigrant Coalition held signs reading "No ICE detention in Florida" and "Abolish ICE." Facility has documented deaths and inhumane conditions.
Source(s): Independent Florida Alligator
Confidence: HIGH (eyewitness reporting, protest coverage)
Status: NEW (protests are new; facility conditions are ongoing)
ALABAMA: University of Alabama student detained, transferred to Louisiana¶
Date: January-February 2026
Priority: 3
Type: detention/academic targeting
Victim(s): Alireza Doroudi, Iranian national, mechanical engineering PhD student at University of Alabama
Location: Pickens County Jail (AL) -> Jena/LaSalle Detention Facility (Louisiana)
Details: ICE detained Doroudi after the State Department revoked his student visa. DHS claimed "significant national security concerns." His attorney says he was legally present in the U.S. and in early stages of applying for EB-1 adjustment of status as a researcher with extraordinary ability. He was moved from Alabama to a remote Louisiana facility accused of human rights abuses, far from legal support.
Source(s): WVTM13, NBC News
Confidence: HIGH (attorney statements, official ICE/DHS confirmation)
Status: KNOWN
MISSISSIPPI: Byhalia mega-warehouse plan killed after Sen. Wicker opposition¶
Date: February 4-6, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion (blocked)
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Byhalia, Marshall County, Mississippi (population <2,000)
Details: DHS was in "final stages" of purchasing a warehouse to convert into an 8,500-bed ICE detention center -- the largest in the country. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) wrote to DHS Secretary Noem opposing it: "I am all for immigration enforcement, but this site was meant for economic development and job creation. We cannot suddenly flood Byhalia with an influx of up to 10,000 detainees." Residents protested outside the warehouse. On Feb 6, Wicker announced Noem agreed to look elsewhere. Notable: opposition came from a Republican senator -- even GOP allies are pushing back on mega-detention in their backyards.
Source(s): Mississippi Today (Feb 4), Mississippi Today (Feb 6), Wicker Senate statement, Action News 5, MS Free Press
Confidence: HIGH (senator's official statement, DHS Secretary confirmation)
Status: NEW -- significant: bipartisan opposition killing mega-detention plans
LOUISIANA: New Orleans ICE office becomes national leader in detainer requests¶
Date: February 3, 2026 (reporting date)
Priority: 3
Type: operations escalation
Victim(s): N/A
Location: New Orleans ICE Field Office jurisdiction
Details: ICE's New Orleans Field Office became a national leader in immigration detainer requests as enforcement shifted from border to interior. Detainers nationwide increased ~60% year-over-year. Louisiana has 17 active ICE detention facilities. 57% of LA arrests happen in jails. 3,571 community arrests (homes, businesses, other locations) plus 2,050 jail arrests in 2025.
Source(s): Louisiana Illuminator
Confidence: HIGH (investigative journalism, federal data)
Status: NEW (reporting is new)
LOUISIANA: Angola Prison "Louisiana Lockup" -- solitary confinement, hunger strikes¶
Date: Ongoing through February 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility conditions
Victim(s): 177 average daily population at Camp J
Location: Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola), Camp J
Details: ICE detainees at Angola's Camp J -- a former solitary confinement unit closed in 2018 due to safety concerns -- launched hunger strikes over inhumane conditions: 23-hour daily lockdown, no medical care, no prescription access, inability to contact attorneys. Louisiana pays/receives $949,000/month for the facility. The UN considers prolonged solitary confinement (>15 days) to be psychological torture. Andrea Armstrong (law professor) notes "the number of completed suicides occurring in segregation or solitary cells is really astounding." Despite DHS claims of housing "worst of the worst," many detainees have no violent criminal records.
Source(s): Vera Institute, The Lens, Amnesty International, Axios New Orleans, Louisiana Illuminator
Confidence: HIGH (Amnesty International, Vera Institute, multiple investigative outlets)
Status: KNOWN -- conditions ongoing and worsening
LOUISIANA: Hammond mega-warehouse planned (up to 9,000 beds)¶
Date: January-February 2026 (planning stage)
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Hammond, Louisiana
Details: ICE has targeted Hammond as a potential site for a large-scale warehouse to imprison up to 9,000 people. This is part of the broader national warehouse-to-detention conversion program funded by the $45 billion reconciliation allocation. Status of purchase unclear but communities are organizing opposition.
Source(s): Washington Post, NBC News, Courier Newsroom
Confidence: MEDIUM (Washington Post reporting on leaked internal documents; no official DHS confirmation for Hammond specifically)
Status: NEW
LOUISIANA: Riverbend Detention Center jailbreak during ice storm¶
Date: Early February 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility incident
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Riverbend Detention Center, Louisiana
Details: Eight inmates broke out of Riverbend Detention Center during a severe ice storm. The sheriff acknowledged the storm and jailbreak were "very much so connected." This highlights the vulnerability of detention infrastructure during extreme weather events.
Source(s): The Advocate
Confidence: MEDIUM (single source but local law enforcement confirmation)
Status: NEW
TENNESSEE: Fear paralyzes immigrant community during winter storm¶
Date: February 6, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: community impact
Victim(s): Unnamed immigrant families
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Details: During a severe winter storm that knocked out power, immigrant families were afraid to go to warming sites or call 911 for fear of ICE encounters. Lisa Sherman Luna (TN Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition): "All of us should be really disturbed right now that we have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because they're afraid." More than 100 people protested outside Nashville's Homeland Security Office in the snow to honor those killed by federal agents.
Source(s): LPM, WPLN
Confidence: HIGH (public radio reporting, advocacy group statements)
Status: NEW
TENNESSEE: White House-coordinated "Immigration 2026" legislative package¶
Date: January 15, 2026 (introduced); advancing through February
Priority: 3
Type: legal/policy
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Tennessee General Assembly
Details: Tennessee Republican leadership introduced an immigration enforcement package crafted in coordination with the White House (Stephen Miller). Key provisions: mandatory 287(g) for all local LE, making it a state crime for immigrants to remain after receiving deportation orders, barring non-citizens from buying cars or receiving government benefits, requiring proof of immigration status for professional licenses (nurses, teachers, doctors). More than 50 agencies already in 287(g) programs, up from 14 in June 2025.
Source(s): Nashville Banner, Tennessee Lookout, WSMV
Confidence: HIGH (official legislative filings, multiple independent sources)
Status: KNOWN -- advancing through legislature
KENTUCKY: ICE arrests surging, 659% increase in detention¶
Date: February 4, 2026 (reporting date)
Priority: 3
Type: operations escalation
Victim(s): Nearly 2,000 arrested Jan-Oct 2025; 914 detainees across 9 jails by August
Location: Statewide -- Boone County primary, plus 8 additional county jails
Details: ICE arrests in Kentucky are surging, with ~25% occurring at workplaces, residences, or public spaces (not just jails). Detention increased 659% from January to August 2025 as county jails signed contracts with ICE. No KY law enforcement had 287(g) agreements before February 2025; now 22 do. Kentucky absorbs Illinois overflow because IL banned jails from holding ICE detainees. GOP bills would eliminate local discretion on ICE cooperation and cut road funding for non-compliant jurisdictions. Kenton County residents are organizing to terminate their 287(g) agreement.
Source(s): WMKY, KY Policy, LPM
Confidence: HIGH (policy research institute data, public radio)
Status: NEW (February reporting on escalation)
ARKANSAS: Officials push back against ICE detainee housing¶
Date: February 4, 2026
Priority: 3
Type: facility expansion (contested)
Victim(s): N/A
Location: Arkansas (statewide context)
Details: Arkansas officials pushed back against federal plans to house ICE detainees in local facilities, even as earlier "Operation Enforce and Remove" (Feb 5-26, 2025) resulted in 219 immigration arrests and 253 drug arrests -- described as "the largest collaborative police effort to enforce federal immigration laws in Arkansas's history." In Springdale (25%+ foreign-born residents), police chief publicly clarified his department is not enforcing federal immigration law. Immigration attorney Nathan Bogart noted US citizens have been detained by ICE in Arkansas due to identity confusion.
Source(s): NW Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Marshall Project
Confidence: HIGH (multiple independent sources)
Status: NEW
NEGATIVE RESULTS¶
The following states had no specific incidents of violence (shootings, chemical weapons, physical assaults) during the Feb 1-8 sweep window:
- All 12 states -- No shootings by ICE/CBP agents documented in the Southeast during this period
- All 12 states -- No chemical weapons (tear gas, pepper spray) deployment documented in the Southeast during this period
- All 12 states -- No vehicle assaults documented in the Southeast during this period
Note on the absence of kinetic violence: The Southeast enforcement model relies heavily on cooperative local law enforcement (287(g) programs, jail-based arrests, state legislative mandates). This produces less visible street confrontation than the "surge operation" model used in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Portland, but generates massive arrest volumes (FL: 10,400+ through Operation Tidal Wave; NC: 3,300+ in 9 months; GA: 4,500+ in 7 months; WV: 650+ in 2 weeks; AR: 219 in 3 weeks; KY: 2,000 in 10 months). The violence is structural -- detention conditions, deaths in custody, overcrowded facilities -- rather than kinetic.
SUMMARY COUNTS¶
Incidents by Priority (Feb 1-8 sweep window)¶
| Priority | Count | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Priority 1 (Deaths) | 1 active (Sanchez Dominguez, GA -- Jan 14) | Plus 1 pre-window context death (Rodriguez, MS -- Dec 15), and ongoing death risk at FL facilities |
| Priority 2 (Violence) | 0 | No kinetic violence documented in SE during sweep window |
| Priority 3 (Operations) | 22 | Legal developments, facility expansions, mass operations, community impacts |
New Findings (Feb 1-8 window)¶
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Facility expansion plans | 5 (VA x2, NC x3, GA x2, MS x1 [killed], LA x1) |
| Legal/policy developments | 6 (VA x3, WV x2, TN x1) |
| Court orders (constitutional) | 1 major (WV -- multiple releases) |
| Mass operation milestones | 2 (FL Tidal Wave 10K, WV Country Roads aftermath) |
| Community impact/protests | 4 (GA, FL x2, TN) |
| Surveillance/operational escalation | 2 (SC, LA) |
| Facility conditions | 1 (LA Angola) |
States with No New Incidents in Sweep Window¶
- South Carolina -- No new specific incidents Feb 1-8, though ongoing enforcement and racial profiling concerns documented
- Alabama -- No new specific incidents Feb 1-8 beyond ongoing Doroudi case
Most Significant New Findings¶
-
GEORGIA -- Social Circle mega-warehouse proceeding to purchase (up to 10,000 beds): DHS is actively purchasing a 1.2M sq ft warehouse, could be operational by April 2026. This would be one of the largest detention facilities in US history, tripling a small town's population.
-
WEST VIRGINIA -- Federal judges ruling ICE detentions unconstitutional: Multiple Bush-appointed judges ordered releases of Operation Country Roads detainees, with language establishing strong constitutional precedent. Judge Johnston's warning about American citizens being next is especially significant.
-
VIRGINIA -- Governor Spanberger ends all state ICE cooperation: First major state-level separation from ICE since the Minneapolis killings, reversing Youngkin-era policy. Combined with legislative bills limiting ICE courthouse arrests.
-
MISSISSIPPI -- Byhalia mega-warehouse killed by Republican senator: Sen. Wicker (R-MS) personally intervened with DHS Secretary Noem to stop the plan. Even Trump allies are opposing detention expansion in their backyards -- a potential political fault line.
-
FLORIDA -- World Cup travel alert issued: International civil rights coalition warns visitors about risk of ICE enforcement at 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. This puts US immigration enforcement on the global stage in an unprecedented way.
-
LOUISIANA -- Angola Prison solitary confinement and hunger strikes: Detainees held in conditions the UN classifies as psychological torture (23-hour daily lockdown) at a facility with a documented history of violence, sexual abuse, and forced labor.
PATTERN ANALYSIS¶
Regional Enforcement Model¶
The Southeast operates on a cooperative enforcement model distinct from the "surge operation" model seen in Midwest/West:
- 287(g) programs are the primary mechanism -- mandatory in FL, GA, TN; rapidly expanding in KY, SC, WV, AR
- Jail-based arrests dominate (57% in LA, similar elsewhere)
- State legislation is actively criminalizing immigration and eliminating local discretion
- Less visible than Minneapolis-style operations but higher total arrest volumes
Facility Expansion Push¶
The $45 billion reconciliation allocation is driving an unprecedented expansion of detention infrastructure across the Southeast:
- Active purchases: Social Circle GA (10K beds), Hammond LA (9K beds)
- Killed/stalled: Byhalia MS (8.5K beds), Hanover VA
- Considering: Augusta VA, Greensboro NC (x2), Winton NC, Jefferson GA
- Operational: Angola LA (416 beds), Baker County FL
Constitutional Challenge Emerging¶
The West Virginia federal court rulings may represent the beginning of a constitutional challenge to mass detention without due process. The strong language from multiple judges -- including Bush appointees -- signals that even the judiciary is alarmed at the pace and scope of enforcement.
Death Risk Assessment¶
Georgia (Deyton), Florida (Krome, Baker County), Mississippi (Adams County), and Louisiana (Angola) all have documented histories of deaths in detention and remain high-risk facilities requiring ongoing monitoring.
Sweep completed: February 8, 2026
Analyst: oilcloth
Next sweep: Recommend weekly cadence for Southeast region
Cross-reference: See /workspace/group/osint/sweeps/2026-02-08_geographic_sweep.md for national sweep results