Traffic stop of undocumented immigrants on MS Coast prompts brief lockdown of schools

Several schools in Jackson County briefly entered lockdown Wednesday morning after five undocumented immigrants ran away during a traffic stop, authorities said.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol stopped the car around 8:45 a.m. near Highway 57 and Jim Ramsay Road, said Landon Orozco, a trooper and spokesperson for the agency.

Authorities stopped the car for a standard traffic violation, Orozco said, and contacted U.S. Border Patrol when the trooper tried to run their IDs and realized they were undocumented.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the lockdown was precautionary and had been lifted. It affected schools in Vancleave, including Vancleave High School.

Authorities were still searching for two of the car’s occupants around 10:30 a.m., Orozco said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM.