BATON ROUGE — As federal immigration officers seemingly prepare to infiltrate Louisiana, the state attorney general's office is cautioning that state lawmakers this year established penalties for deliberately hindering the agents' work.

The Associated Press reported this month that an operation dubbed "Swamp Sweep" hopes to arrest 5,000 people in Louisiana and adjoining parts of Mississippi in coming months. The effort has the backing of Louisiana's state government, but "blue" cities in "red" states have long resisted federal sweeps, the AP reported.

In a statement Monday, Attorney General Liz Murrill warned of "consequences" if people interfere. Public officials could also face a malfeasance charge, as lawmakers this year got in lockstep with the federal immigration initiative.

AP reported that the deployment is expected to begin next Monday, following similar crackdowns in Los Angeles, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina. The Louisiana plan, according to AP, is expected to start in New Orleans and spread perhaps as far as Baton Rouge, and hit neighborhoods and commercial areas.

The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the operation, but Murrill's statement would seem to indicate action is pending.