Trump Administration Opens 528-Bed Migrant Holding Facility in Louisiana

The Trump administration is establishing a 528-bed holding facility for migrant families and unaccompanied children at a former military base near Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) describes the site as a 72-hour staging area designed to streamline deportations by reducing the need to transport children from distant shelters to outbound charter flights. To differentiate the site from traditional detention centers, ICE has prohibited the use of bars, cages, and terms such as "prisoner" or "inmate."

The facility will be operated by the LaSalle Family Foundation, a nonprofit arm of private prison contractor LaSalle Corrections. The project involves converting unused military barracks, with ICE funding renovations and the Economic Development District receiving approximately $530,000 annually for the use of the land and tarmac. The site is expected to be operational as early as August.

Airpark officials and local leadership have defended the center as a "humanitarian effort" for families who are self-deporting. However, immigration advocates, including the nonprofit Children's Rights, warn that the facility represents an unprecedented expansion of the deportation system. Critics argue that the lack of oversight could lead to children being held for weeks or months rather than the intended three-day window.