As Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues deporting illegal immigrants en masse, more immigration detention centers are opening with President Donald Trump’s signature branding.
These new facilities, spearheaded by the Trump administration in coordination with certain states, are being given alliterative names, such as “Speedway Slammer” and “Alligator Alcatraz.” While Trump may not be the one coining these names, his tendency to use creative nicknames has certainly inspired administration officials and Republicans to follow suit.
Trump often has a provocative style when it comes to insulting his political opponents in social media posts or coming up with eye-catching policies, and the new immigration detention centers are no different.
‘Louisiana Lockup’ — Louisiana
The latest detention center, dubbed “Louisiana Lockup,” is now operating at the Louisiana State Penitentiary to house illegal immigrants. At least 51 detainees have already arrived at the facility, the Department of Homeland Security first told Fox News before its public announcement.
The prison, better known as Angola, is notorious for its history as a “prison plantation” and its harsh conditions. It is set to become Louisiana’s 10th ICE detention site.
ICE is expanding the penitentiary’s nearly 6,300-bed capacity to an additional 416 beds, taking advantage of a previously unused section of the prison known as Camp J. Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) recently declared a state emergency to expedite repairs for Camp J ahead of its new use.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the opening of “Louisiana Lockup” on social media.
Noem and Landry are scheduled to lead a press conference for the unveiling of “Louisiana Lockup” at 3 p.m. local time on Sept. 3. Attorney General Pam Bondi and ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan are also expected to attend the event.
‘Cornhusker Clink‘ — Nebraska
The Trump administration opened a detention center for illegal immigrants in Nebraska called the “Cornhusker Clink” on Aug. 19, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced.
The facility represents the third state partnership with the federal government to expand ICE detention space, according to DHS. At the new location, detention bed space was expanded by 280 beds at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska.
DHS announced the move by posting an image of corn cobs in ICE caps sitting in front of a prison on social media. The facility drew scrutiny from the Nebraska Democratic Party, which complained that Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE) “is sending the wrong message that immigrants are not welcome” to the Cornhusker State.
The agreement between Nebraska and DHS comes after Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allocating over $190 billion for the department’s use over the next four years. DHS credited the legislation for its new detention center.
‘Lone Star Lockup‘ — Texas
On Aug. 17, ICE opened its new detention center, “Lone Star Lockup,” at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The Trump administration and Republicans said the facility, known as Camp East Montana, became the largest federal immigration detention center in the nation’s history.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) came up with the “Lone Star Lockup” name during a tour of the facility in August, taking inspiration from Texas’s nickname.
Cornyn told reporters the new facility is designed to ease overcrowding at other facilities by housing illegal immigrants who have criminal convictions or criminal charges and are subject to a removal order. The senator clarified that the detention center will only house single immigrants, not families or children.
Still, “Lone Star Lockup” has received pushback. Critics, such as Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), have argued that the money used to support the facility could have gone toward healthcare or law enforcement in El Paso. The El Paso County Commissioners Court also adopted a resolution opposing the project.
Established under a $1.2 billion contract from the Department of Defense, the site currently holds 1,000 beds for detainees. The plan is to expand its capacity to 5,000 beds by 2027.
‘Speedway Slammer‘ — Indiana
In August, DHS announced a partnership with Indiana to expand detention space by 1,000 beds at the Miami Correctional Center. The state prison was named the “Speedway Slammer” by Noem, who said it will house “some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.”
Although it is located about 70 miles north of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the facility is linked to the racetrack because of the DHS’s promotional materials. In one of the department’s social media posts, an AI-generated image shows Indy cars with “ICE” lettering racing in front of the prison.
The company operating the Indianapolis Motor Speedway did not appreciate the DHS using its image and likeness.
“We were unaware of plans to incorporate our imagery as part of yesterday’s announcement,” IndyCar previously told the Washington Examiner. “Consistent with our approach to public policy and political issues, we are communicating our preference that our IP not be utilized moving forward in relation to this matter.”
‘Deportation Depot‘ — North Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced Florida’s latest immigration detention center last month, which he called “Deportation Depot.” The new site is at the Baker Correctional Institution, a shuttered state prison about 43 miles west of downtown Jacksonville in north Florida. The facility can hold up to 2,000 detainees.
DeSantis touted the cost-efficient project, estimating the total price to be $6 million, far below the $450 million annual operating cost of “Alligator Alcatraz” in south Florida.
“Deportation Depot” has already faced criticism, particularly over the Florida GOP’s merchandise featuring “THE DEPORT DEPOT” branding resembling Home Depot’s orange logo. The company disapproved of the similarities and contacted Florida Republicans to inform them that they can’t use the Home Depot-esque logo commercially.
The Florida GOP obliged the company’s complaint and subsequently removed the line of merchandise shortly after it went live and gained attention online.
‘Alligator Alcatraz‘ — South Florida
The immigration detention center that started the trend of alliterative nicknames was “Alligator Alcatraz.” Trump and DeSantis attended the grand opening in early July, touting the facility as part of the administration’s large-scale deportation agenda.
“Alligator Alcatraz” was coined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who proposed the project. The name was given because of the site’s location in the Everglades, where alligators reside. Trump said the animals act as a deterrent for detainees who may wish to escape.
The facility opened with an initial capacity of 3,000 beds, with plans to expand by 500 beds periodically. By the time construction is finished, it is expected to hold up to 5,000 beds, although legal challenges may slow the process down.
Environmental groups sought to block construction, alleging the facility was operated and built without required environmental reviews. A federal judge handed a win to the plaintiffs, ordering the facility to shut down in October after issuing a 14-day halt to the detention center’s construction.
One day after Alligator Alcatraz was ordered to cease operations, an official with Florida Division of Emergency Management revealed in an email that the facility would likely become empty within days after detainees started being removed to other detention centers. If an appeals court pauses the court order, Florida is expected to continue resuming operations after DeSantis said the site is still operating and proceeding with deportations. The governor noted new detainees weren’t arriving at this time.
HOW TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL’ LAW COULD KEEP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN CUSTODY INDEFINITELY
On Monday, another judge will hear arguments in a separate legal challenge concerning whether detainees are being afforded adequate due process and access to their attorneys.
The first group of migrants arrived at “Alligator Alcatraz” on July 2, one day after Trump and DeSantis toured the facility together. DeSantis said DHS began flying illegal immigrants out of the state-run detention center for deportation late last month. The site is next to the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which was largely unused until recently.
