The administration of Donald Trump is preparing to open what officials describe as a “first-of-its-kind” detention facility for migrant families and unaccompanied children at Alexandria International Airport. The project is expected to expand a deportation hub that already plays a key role in federal immigration enforcement.
According to reports, the proposed facility would hold migrant families and children for about three to five days before they are deported. Local officials say the migrants would stay in converted military barracks at the airport while their travel arrangements are finalized.
Lease agreements between the Department of Homeland Security and the airport authority are expected to be completed soon. If approved, the facility could begin operations within the next 60 to 90 days.
The project would be managed by Compass Connections, a nonprofit organization that has previously operated shelters for migrant children, along with the LaSalle Family Foundation, which is connected to a private corrections company. Compass Connections president Sonya Thompson described the site as a unique facility designed to provide services to migrants during their final days in the United States.
Airport officials have presented the proposal as a humanitarian initiative separate from nearby detention operations. They say the center would provide temporary accommodation and services for migrants who are preparing to leave the country.
However, immigration advocates strongly disagree with this description. Groups such as the National Coalition to End Family and Child Detention argue that the compound would effectively function as a detention center regardless of the name used.
Coordinator Kristin Kumpf said many migrant families who accept “voluntary departure” do so while under pressure in custody. According to advocates, some migrants sign departure forms without fully understanding their options or receiving legal advice.
The new facility would be located next to an existing staging site operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the airport. That site has already become one of the busiest deportation hubs in the country.
Louisiana has increasingly become a major center for immigration detention in the United States. The state hosts several facilities run by private prison companies and local jails. This system expanded during Trump’s first presidency and is now growing further with increased federal funding for immigration enforcement.
The push to increase detention space comes as the number of people held in immigration custody has grown sharply. Recent figures show that more than 68,000 individuals are currently being held in detention centers across the United States.