A brand new immigration detention facility designed to deal with a whole lot of undocumented immigrants convicted of significant crimes opened in Louisiana this week as a part of what Legal professional Common Pam Bondi referred to as a “historic settlement” between the state and federal authorities.
The brand new facility — which is situated contained in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, generally referred to as Angola — is designed to deal with greater than 400 detainees.
The ability was given the identify Camp 57 after Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry being the 57th governor of the state. Federal officers have additionally dubbed Camp 57 as “Louisiana Lockup.” In a information launch, the Division of Homeland Safety described it as a part of a “new partnership” between the Trump administration and the state of Louisiana.
Gerald Herbert / AP
U.S. Immigrations Customs and Enforcement officers stated that 51 detainees had already arrived at Camp 57 as of Tuesday.
“This isn’t only a typical ICE detention facility that you will note elsewhere within the nation,” Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem stated throughout a information convention Wednesday in entrance of Camp 57, alongside Bondi and Landry.
She stated a number of the males who’ve already transferred there have been convicted of significant crimes, together with homicide and rape.
“Louisiana is one in all a number of states stepping as much as resolve these issues,” Noem stated.
Noem additionally indicated that Angola’s “infamous” historical past was one of many causes that it was chosen for Camp 57.
“It is a facility that is infamous, it is a facility, Angola Jail is known — however that is a message that these people which can be going to be right here, which can be unlawful criminals, want to grasp,” Noem instructed reporters.
CBS Information 
Throughout Wednesday’s information convention, Landry stated the ability is subsequent to a lake “stuffed with alligators” and surrounded by a “forest stuffed with bears.” An officer with the Louisiana Division of Corrections instructed CBS Information Wednesday there are alligators as large as 10 toes within the lake.
CBS Information 
Camp 57 has a chapel and legislation library, legislation enforcement officers aware of the undertaking instructed CBS Information Wednesday.
The ability, which is able to home solely males, is separated from the remainder of the Louisiana state prisoners incarcerated within the Angola advanced, which spans 18,000 acres.
Camp 57 was shuttered for a few years earlier than renovations began a few month in the past. DHS officers stated it was renovated into working order in about 30 days.
Previous to its closure, Camp 57 had been used for disciplinary actions towards state prisoners, in response to legislation enforcement officers aware of the undertaking.
Transferring ICE detainees between services is not new however has elevated below the present administration. A CBS Information evaluation of presidency knowledge discovered that greater than half of immigrants detained by ICE between Jan. 20, 2025, and July 29, 2025, have been transferred to a different facility two or extra occasions — a better share than through the Biden administration, the primary Trump administration or the second Obama administration.
Detainees are additionally getting shuffled additional away throughout these transfers, CBS Information discovered. Underneath the present administration, about 61% of detainees who began their keep have been transferred greater than 100 miles at the least as soon as. That is additionally a better determine than in previous administrations.
Some immigration advocates are involved this apply might make it tougher for detainees to contact family members or their attorneys.
Requested in regards to the improve in detention transfers and the way and when ICE determines somebody needs to be transferred, Noem stated Wednesday that “this particular facility goes to host most harmful prison unlawful aliens within the nation, as a result of it’s so safe. These people are being moved from different services across the nation…as a result of it’s so safe behind these fences. I might say that we transfer individuals to different services for logistics, primarily based on what nation they’re being repatriated from, the place their flights are going, what we have to do to construct deficiencies, and we’ll proceed to try this as we have to with a view to deport them in another country and take them again dwelling.”
Final month, a federal choose ordered that the Trump administration dismantle a state-run immigration detention heart within the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” DHS started transferring detainees out of the ability final week.
Relating to “Alligator Alcatraz,” Noem stated Wednesday the White Home will proceed to attraction the choose’s orders, as a result of she believes the choose “made the fallacious resolution.”
