Trump administration plans Louisiana center for accelerated child and family deportations

The U.S. government is preparing to open a new immigration processing center in Alexandria, Louisiana, in August or September. This facility aims to expedite the detention and deportation of families and children who have arrived in the country without an accompanying adult. The plan is part of President Donald Trump's broader strategy of mass detentions and deportations.

Ralph Hennessy, executive director of the England Airpark Authority, confirmed an agreement with ICE and the LaSalle Family Foundation to operate the facility on their property. He stated that the center will coordinate the deportation of families back to their home countries, primarily housing individuals who have voluntarily accepted deportation. The agreement, signed two weeks prior, involves a space capable of holding approximately 500 people for a few days before processing and deportation, which Hennessy described as "not a prison or a detention center."

An ICE spokesperson clarified via email that England Airpark serves as a "transit facility for deportations," where immigrants await their deportation flights or transfer to ICE detention centers. The spokesperson did not confirm whether unaccompanied minors and families would be housed there. The center will operate out of a renovated barrack on a former military base, supplemented by trailers to increase capacity.

LaSalle Family Foundation, which will manage the center, is reportedly a subsidiary of LaSalle Corrections, a major private prison and ICE detention center management company. This connection raises concerns, as two immigrants have died in ICE detention centers managed by this company in Louisiana so far in 2026. An official inspection of one such center, Winn Correctional Center, revealed a pattern of excessive force against detainees, as well as health and food safety risks.