Notorious Angola Prison Opens Doors to Immigrant Detainees in Controversial DHS Strategy
Notorious Angola Prison Opens Doors to Immigrant Detainees in Controversial DHS Strategy
ANGOLA, La. — Federal authorities have deliberately chosen the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, to house immigration detainees, a move Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Wednesday is intended to encourage self-deportation among individuals in the U.S. illegally.
Standing on the grounds of the vast rural prison, Secretary Noem stated that a refurbished complex within Angola, now marked with a new ‘Louisiana Lockup’ sign, will hold some of the “worst of the worst” ICE detainees. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry echoed this sentiment during a news conference, remarking, “If you don’t think that they belong in somewhere like this, you’ve got a problem,” when referring to the detainees.
Officials reported that 51 detainees are already being housed at the facility, with projections to reach its 400-person capacity in the coming months. This initiative aligns with President Donald Trump’s ongoing large-scale efforts to remove millions suspected of entering the country illegally, and is part of a broader $45 billion expansion for immigration detention centers signed into law in July.
The facility, surrounded by a fence topped with five rows of barbed wire and overlooked by a guard tower, features single-occupancy cells and confined outdoor enclosures. Its selection, Noem admitted, was “absolutely” due to Angola’s notorious reputation, which stretches back over a century and includes a history of violence, brutality, and inhumane conditions. This strategy mirrors the administration’s tough-on-crime immigration messaging, previously seen with facilities like Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ and new sites such as the ‘Speedway Slammer’ in Indiana and the ‘Cornhusker Clink’ in Nebraska.
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