Louisiana Lockup Opens as Nation’s Largest ICE Detention Center

The U.S. government has expanded its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention capacity by converting parts of existing prisons into new detention centers, including the North Lake Processing Center in Michigan and the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola prison. Michigan's North Lake facility, operated by private company GEO Group, has quickly become the largest ICE detention center in the state amid concerns about human rights and transparency. In Louisiana, the Angola prison, historically known as the 'bloodiest prison in the South,' now houses migrants labeled as the 'worst of the worst' criminal illegal aliens under the new 'Camp 57' designation, following repairs expedited by Governor Jeff Landry and funding from President Trump's administration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi have publicly supported the use of Angola for ICE detention, which may replace Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility that a judge recently ordered to close. These expansions are part of a broader effort to increase ICE detention beds nationwide, raising questions about prison conditions, privatization, and the treatment of detainees amid ongoing debates over immigration enforcement policies.