Louisiana immigration detention facility opening

A new 528-bed immigration detention facility, the Alexandria Family Staging Center, is being established at England Airpark in Alexandria, Louisiana. Managed by the LaSalle Family Foundation and operated by Anovaeon, the facility is designed to house undocumented families, single adult females, and unaccompanied minors awaiting removal.

This site marks the first facility of its kind specifically designed to hold unaccompanied minors, a group typically managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. While operators state the center will primarily house individuals voluntarily self-deporting with average stays of less than 48 hours, the facility is situated near Alexandria International Airport, a major hub for deportation flights.

The opening has drawn local opposition, with community activists and religious leaders holding a vigil at the site. Critics, including Rev. Robin Tanner, have raised concerns regarding the impact of detention on childhood development and the legal rights of minors, while proponents argue that such policies serve to discourage human trafficking and child smuggling.