Indiana announces a ‘Speedway Slammer’ to house migrants and become the Hoosier state’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

Indiana is expanding a state prison by 1,000 beds to house migrants in what Trump officials are calling the ‘Speedway Slammer.’

The Trump administration’s next “Alligator Alcatraz” is set to open in Indiana, with officials dubbing the migrant detention facility the “Speedway Slammer.”

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday announced it will expand the Miami Correctional Center, a state prison about 70 miles north of Indianapolis.

“Today, we’re announcing a new partnership with the state of Indiana to expand detention bed space by 1,000 beds,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. “Thanks to [Indiana Gov. Mike Braun] for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country.”

Noem warned that those in the country illegally could find themselves at the “Speedway Slammer,” and urged people to self-deport instead.

News of Indiana’s foray into “Alligator-Alcatraz”-like immigration detention centers comes as Noem said she hopes to open similar facilities near airports throughout the country to boost “efficiency” in deportations. She is working to fulfill President Donald Trump’s mission to increase deportations and crack down on illegal immigration in the U.S. In July, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents averaged 990 daily arrests.

The Trump administration’s newest ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will open in Indiana, as officials nickname the facility the ‘Speedway Slammer.’ (AFP/Getty)

The Hoosier state facility, named for Indiana’s affinity for racing, sits about 70 miles north of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When asked about the facility’s name on Wednesday, White House Border Czar Tom Homan noted he wasn’t sure where the name originated.

“I don’t want the names taken over the great work they’re doing. This is serious work and it’s dangerous work,” Homan said.

Days before officials announced the so-called “Speedway Slammer,” Braun said the state would partner with federal immigration authorities to aid deportation efforts. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana State Police, Department of Correction, and Indiana National Guard are all entering new cooperative agreements with ICE, according to WTHR.

“Indiana is not a safe haven for illegal immigration. Indiana will fully partner with federal immigration authorities as they enforce the most fundamental laws of our country,” Braun said at the time.

Indiana’s Miami Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison located at the former Grissom Air Force Base. It can house about 3,100 people, though officials said part of the facility has not been filled due to a staffing shortage, IndyStar reported.

Critics have compared ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to a concentration camp, as migrants detained there have reported inhumane conditions. (Getty Images)

Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” opened last month after it was hastily thrown together in about two weeks. The 3,000-bed south Florida detention center has received intense criticism and comparisons to concentration camps by critics, as migrants there report inhumane conditions, including maggot-infested food and overflowing toilets.

A federal lawsuit accuses the facility of blocking detainees from legal counsel and forcing people into “overcrowded, unsanitary, and harsh conditions” with inadequate food, flood-prone cells, and “excessive use of force” from guards that sent at least one man to a hospital.

The facility is expected to cost about $450 million for its first year, at roughly $245 per inmate bed per night, according to DHS. ICE spent about $187 per adult detainee per day in 2023.

Upcoming state-run detention centers are expected to tap into $45 billion in new funding for ICE as part of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

DHS also noted the most recent agreement, “Speedway Slammer,” has been “fully funded” under Trump’s tax and border bill.