NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Trump administration is set to establish a new 528-bed holding facility designed for migrant families and unaccompanied children in Alexandria, Louisiana. This facility, strategically located next to an airport hub, aims to streamline deportation processes by alleviating logistical complications associated with gathering children from foster homes and shelters nationwide.
The Alexandria site is expected to address recurring issues that have plagued the deportation process, which became evident when Guatemalan children faced chaotic circumstances during previous deportation attempts. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is framing the Alexandria facility as a "staging area" rather than a detention center, asserting that individuals will be held for no more than three days on average.
Despite these claims, immigration advocates have voiced serious concerns regarding the potential for prolonged detainment, recalling past instances where children at federal immigration sites were held for weeks or even months. Leecia Welch, chief legal counsel at the nonprofit Children’s Rights, emphasized the risks posed by this facility, describing it as an expansion of the deportation system with unpredictable consequences.
The Alexandria facility is set to be operated by a nonprofit arm of LaSalle Corrections, a private prison contractor. Historically, unaccompanied minors are required by law to be placed in state-licensed shelters, managed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Department of Health and Human Services. However, that agency will not oversee the operations at the Alexandria site, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the airfield.
The contract to establish the facility was finalized late last month, with expectations that it could begin operations as early as August. Initially, the Texas-based nonprofit Compass Connections was selected to assist in running the facility, but recent communications indicate that the organization is no longer involved without providing further details.
During public meetings, officials associated with the project have referred to the facility as a "humanitarian effort" for families "self-deporting." Immigration advocates argue that such decisions are often made under duress or without a full understanding of their legal options. Ralph Hennessy, executive director of the England Airpark Authority, reassured that families voluntarily returning to their home countries will be treated with dignity.
The facility will be situated adjacent to a major hub for deportations, with over 4,400 immigration enforcement flights recorded at the Alexandria International Airport in 2025. ICE documents specify that families and children at the new facility will remain under ICE custody, with their release contingent on agency directives. In a bid to mitigate the perception of incarceration, ICE has instructed contractors to avoid terminology such as "prisoners" or "detainees," and to refrain from using bars or cages during transport. Families will also be allowed to wear their own clothes instead of uniforms typically associated with detention.
LaSalle Corrections operates multiple private prisons and federal immigration detention centers throughout the Southern U.S. The LaSalle Family Foundation, a nonprofit entity within the company, will manage the operations of the new ICE holding facility, focusing on providing chaplaincy services and educational programs. Nonetheless, LaSalle Corrections will retain operational control to ensure compliance within the facility, as noted by the company's chief financial officer.
Concerns about the treatment of detainees at LaSalle-run facilities have resurfaced, particularly following reports of two detainee deaths and findings of multiple violations in existing centers, raising alarms within the community. The implications of the new facility, driven by ICE's expedited deportation strategy, continue to resonate throughout advocacy circles and among legal experts concerned about the rights and welfare of vulnerable populations.
