New Detention Facility Established for Migrant Families and Children
In a move aimed at expediting deportations, the Trump administration is set to open a 528-bed detention facility for migrant families and unaccompanied minors near Alexandria, Louisiana, adjacent to an airport hub.
This carefully chosen site is expected to alleviate logistical challenges previously encountered when transporting children from foster homes and shelters across the nation. These difficulties became apparent last year when Guatemalan children were forced to wait for extended periods on airport tarmacs, often in the middle of the night, before their flights to Harlingen, Texas.
A federal judge intervened to block deportations during these chaotic episodes. The lack of nearby facilities for families and children highlighted significant challenges for authorities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has labeled the Alexandria center a “holding area” rather than a prison, asserting that individuals would typically stay there for a brief period.
However, concerns have been raised by advocacy groups regarding the potential for children to be held for extended periods—similar to conditions at other federal immigration detention centers. These advocates worry that increased surveillance at the facility marks a troubling shift in the government’s approach to managing children.
Lecia Welch, chief legal counsel at the nonprofit organization Children’s Rights, expressed her apprehension, stating that this development represents an unprecedented expansion of the deportation system. “There’s a lot of potential for things to go wrong with this facility,” she noted.
According to existing laws, unaccompanied minors cannot be housed in ICE facilities. Instead, they are required to be placed in state-licensed shelters or foster care services operated by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement. However, sources reveal that the agency has no role in operating the Alexandria facility.
The new facility will be managed by LaSalle Corrections, a private prison contractor’s nonprofit division. Ralph Hennessy, executive director of Air Parks England, indicated that the facility may commence operations as early as August. Hennessy also confirmed that a contract was signed with ICE last month to develop the facility on a former military base close to Alexandria International Airport, approximately 175 miles northwest of New Orleans.
Documented estimates indicate that the center will function as a 72-hour holding site for immigrants awaiting deportation. While Compass Connections, a Texas-based nonprofit known for its work with unaccompanied children, was initially engaged to assist in running the facility, its president Sonya Thompson recently disclosed that the organization is no longer affiliated with the project.
During a recent airport board meeting, officials characterized the facility as a “humanitarian effort” aimed at assisting families undergoing “voluntary repatriation.” However, advocates contend that such decisions are often made under duress or a lack of awareness regarding available options.
ICE has documented that over 4,400 immigration flights operated in or out of Alexandria International Airport in 2025, reflecting the strategic significance of the new facility, located adjacent to one of the nation’s largest deportation hubs. Planning documents suggest that families and children inside the facility remain in ICE’s legal custody and can only be released under ICE’s direction.
Contractual guidelines instruct that individuals housed at the facility should not be referred to by terms like prisoners or detainees. Moreover, contractors have been directed to avoid the use of bars or cages during transportation and to permit families to wear their own clothing.
LaSalle Corrections manages various private prisons and federal immigration detention centers throughout the Southern United States, including the Louisiana Lockup at Angola’s maximum security prison. The official contractor for this new ICE facility will be the LaSalle Family Foundation, known for providing support services at correctional institutions.
Despite the Foundation’s oversight, the operational aspects of the facility will involve LaSalle Corrections to ensure regulatory compliance. Concerns persist about the conditions at LaSalle-managed facilities; two detainee deaths were reported since April at an ICE facility in Louisiana operated by the company, while inspections revealed violations related to food service and medical care standards at the Winn Correctional Center.
