Trump Administration Expands Migrant Family Detention at Louisiana Airport
The Trump administration is poised to significantly expand immigration detention operations at a contentious site within a rural Louisiana airport, according to exclusive information obtained by the Guardian. This move involves establishing a pioneering short-term facility designed to hold migrant families and unaccompanied children adjacent to a runway that has become a central hub for the White House's mass deportation strategy.
Details of the Proposed Facility
The proposed center, located inside the Alexandria International Airport complex, will confine family groups and children for a period of three to five days within a converted military barracks before their deportation. This plan was presented by the project's lead contractors during a sparsely attended airpark commission meeting in February. Local airport officials have confirmed to the Guardian that a series of lease agreements with the Department of Homeland Security and its contractors are nearing finalization, with expectations that the site could become operational within 60 to 90 days.
According to a public presentation, the facility will exclusively house individuals who have opted to voluntarily "self-deport." However, this claim has been met with skepticism from numerous migrant and civil liberty groups, who argue that the compound will effectively function as a detention center in all but name.
Operational and Financial Aspects
The facility will be operated by a consortium including the non-profit arm of a private corrections company, the LaSalle Family Foundation, and a Texas-based childcare non-profit, Compass Connections, which has prior experience housing unaccompanied minors. The proposed site is situated just across the tarmac from a short-term adult detention center managed by the private prison company Geo Group, which was recently investigated by the Guardian for alleged due process violations, medical issues, abuse, and overcrowded conditions.
At a public hearing on February 26, the local airpark's deputy director, David Broussard, described the new family and child facility as a "humanitarian effort" intended to have a "different feel and vibe" compared to the Geo Group operations. He encouraged the local board of commissioners to approve a five-year lease for the project, which also includes the use of an office block and 10 acres of additional land. The authority is set to receive over $535,000 in annual rent, funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a Trump administration initiative that has allocated more than $170 billion for immigration enforcement activities. The commissioners voted almost unanimously to approve the proposal.
Controversy and Criticism
Compass Connections president Sonya Thompson labeled the site as the "first of its kind" and stated it would provide "wrap-around services" to ensure that individuals spending their final days in the United States have a positive experience. An environmental impact assessment identified issues with asbestos and other unspecified concerns, which are reportedly being addressed.
In contrast, the airpark's executive director, Ralph Hennessy, described the project as a "done deal" and expressed no concerns about potential reputational issues, dismissing previous Guardian reporting on detention operations as "full of crap." He also downplayed concerns over poor medical care and emergencies, including suicide attempts, stating that some migrants "don't want to go home" and prefer staying in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the new project. As the Trump administration's hardline immigration agenda leads to an unprecedented surge in detention numbers, with over 68,000 people currently detained, voluntary departures have also increased. In 2025, 28% of removal cases in detention ended in voluntary departure, according to CBS News analysis. Advocates argue that extended detentions and coercive measures have pressured many migrants into agreeing to forgo legal challenges and leave voluntarily.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Kristin Kumpf, coordinator of the National Coalition to End Family and Child Detention, highlighted concerns about coercion, stating, "We've heard story after story of immigrant families who have been really coerced into signing voluntary departure forms. Many have not been given options, had access to legal counsel or even seen paperwork in their own language."
Compass Connections and the LaSalle Family Foundation did not respond to interview requests or written questions. Government non-profit filings reveal that the foundation is run by the same father and son directors as LaSalle Corrections, a family-operated private corrections group with facilities in Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. In October, a federal jury found the company liable for $42.75 million in damages over the 2015 death of an inmate, Erie Moore Sr., who was beaten by guards at a jail in Richwood, Louisiana—reportedly the largest judgment against a private correctional group in U.S. history.
Broader Implications
The Alexandria airport has emerged as a major hub for Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation and transfer flights, with family groups and unaccompanied minors sometimes held for days in nearby hotels before being placed on jets. The Guardian has previously reported on cases where individuals, including a mother and her two U.S. citizen children, were held secretly and allegedly blocked from accessing lawyers before deportation.
Tania Wolf, southeast advocacy manager for the National Immigration Project, expressed worries that the new center would perpetuate due process concerns, stating, "It's two buildings that they're trying to renovate, to disappear more families and children under the auspices of a voluntary program. They are just trying to put a coat of paint over something that is really foul. This is simply detaining children and families."
