(SLIDELL, LOUISIANA) — Reyna Funez crashed into an ICE vehicle after running a red light on a busy interstate off-ramp in Slidell, federal officials said, thrusting a traffic collision into a broader Trump administration immigration enforcement push in Louisiana.
The Crash: What Happened
Federal officials said the 43-year-old Honduran national was driving an Acura MDX when she failed to yield at a red light while making a right turn and struck a northbound Ford Expedition used by federal agents. Slidell Police confirmed Funez did not have a valid driver’s license and was in the country illegally. No injuries were reported.
- Date and time: Thursday, December 11, 2025, at approximately 7:00 a.m.
- Location: Interstate 12 (I-12) westbound off-ramp at Airport Road in Slidell, Louisiana
- Vehicles involved: Acura MDX (driven by Funez) and Ford Expedition (used by federal agents)
Federal officials described the incident as an accidental collision that occurred while agents were involved in a federal mission nearby.
Social Media Commentary from Border Patrol
U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory K. Bovino highlighted the incident in a social media post on December 26, 2025, characterizing the crash as an accidental encounter with agents involved in the operation.
“This blooper is one for the books! A driver ran a red light in Slidell, LA, and accidentally crashed into a vehicle used by Operation Catahoula Crunch. It turns out she was an illegal alien from Honduras. Unlucky for her. Lucky for us,” Bovino wrote.
Bovino added a second line aimed at the driver’s decision to proceed through the signal:
“Apparently, she never learned the lesson that red means stop, not ‘accelerate and collide with a government vehicle actively enforcing federal law.’”
Operation Catahoula Crunch: Overview
Federal officials placed the crash inside Operation Catahoula Crunch, a Department of Homeland Security-led law enforcement operation launched on December 3, 2025, in the New Orleans region.
- Purpose (as described by DHS): Targeting “criminal illegal aliens” who were released from local custody because sanctuary policies prohibit local authorities from honoring ICE detainers.
- Deployment size: Approximately 250 Border Patrol and ICE agents
- Tactics: Use of armored vehicles for certain high-risk apprehensions
- Arrests reported (as of Dec 18, 2025): Approximately 370 arrests
DHS framed the mission as a response to local political decisions. DHS Secretary Kristi L. Noem, announcing the launch on December 3, said:
“The men and women of DHS law enforcement have landed in The Big Easy. Operation Catahoula Crunch will remove the worst of the worst from New Orleans, Louisiana, after the city’s sanctuary politicians have ignored the rule of law.”
Messaging and Political Context
DHS officials have repeatedly criticized local New Orleans leaders for what they describe as sanctuary policies that prevent cooperation with ICE. Officials have argued those policies endanger public safety and framed the operation as part of a broader interior enforcement surge.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, commenting on Dec 18, 2025, criticized sanctuary policies and described the operation’s targets:
“While sanctuary city politicians have refused to do their job, DHS is making the New Orleans community safer as it continues to arrest illegal alien drug dealers, hit-and-run criminals, and one monster who was convicted for arson and threatening a person with intent to terrorize.”
- The administration reported that over 2 million undocumented immigrants had left the U.S. since January 2025, “including nearly 1.9 million self-deportations,” according to DHS statements.
Local Impact and Community Response
Federal officials used the Slidell collision as an example of routine traffic enforcement intersecting with immigration enforcement when federal agents operate nearby. They also described the crash as illustrative of what they see as the “irony” of individuals in the country illegally exposing themselves to law enforcement through traffic violations.
Local reports, summarized by federal statements, said the increased ICE activity created anxiety within the immigrant community:
- Some businesses closed temporarily.
- Some residents stayed home from work to avoid potential checkpoints or raids.
DHS has published multiple updates about the operation, including a launch announcement and subsequent progress reports:
– DHS Launches Operation Catahoula Crunch in New Orleans (Dec 3, 2025)
– Catahoula Crunch Continues Cracking Down on Criminal Illegal Aliens (Dec 11, 2025)
– Operation Catahoula Crunch Nabs Drug Dealers and Hit-and-Run Criminals (Dec 18, 2025)
Framing and Consequences
Bovino’s post, emphasizing a driver who “ran a red light” and “accidentally crashed into a vehicle used by Operation Catahoula Crunch,” underscores how administration messaging ties everyday encounters to a wider enforcement narrative. In that framing, the Slidell crash became not only a traffic incident but also a public marker of the operation’s presence across the New Orleans region.
- Officials did not report injuries from the Slidell crash.
- The federal account reiterates that Funez collided with an agent vehicle after failing to yield while turning right at a red light.
A traffic collision in Slidell involving a Honduran national and federal agents has become a focal point for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Reyna Funez was arrested after striking an ICE vehicle while running a red light. This incident coincides with Operation Catahoula Crunch, a massive DHS deployment of 250 agents aimed at bypassing New Orleans’ sanctuary policies to arrest criminal aliens and drug dealers.
