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.
‘Lone Star Lockup’ — Texas
On Sunday, ICE opened its latest detention center, called “Lone Star Lockup,” at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The Trump administration and Republicans said the facility, formally known as Camp East Montana, is poised to become 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 last week, 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
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security 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 Homeland Security Secretary Kristi 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.”
The opening date of the Indiana facility has not been confirmed, but Noem said it’s “coming soon.”
‘Deportation Depot’ — North Florida
Last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) announced Florida’s next immigration detention center, which he called “Deportation Depot.” The new site will be at the Baker Correctional Institution, a shuttered state prison about 43 miles west of downtown Jacksonville in north Florida. The facility is expected to 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 that featured “THE DEPORT DEPOT” branding resembling Home Depot’s orange logo. The company disapproved of the similarities and contacted Florida Republicans to make them aware that they can’t use the Home Depot-esque logo for commercial purposes.
The Florida GOP obliged the company’s complaint and subsequently removed the line of merchandise shortly after it went live and garnered attention online.
If all goes as planned, “Deportation Depot” will open in the coming weeks.
‘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 sort of 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. Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered a 14-day halt to the construction but allowed operations to continue with detained immigrants at the detention center.
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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 the purposes of deportation late last month. The site is next to the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which was largely unused until recently.
