'Speedway Slammer' immigration jail set to be Trump's next 'Alligator Alcatraz'
The Republican-led state of Indiana volunteered to host the Trump administration's next new immigration detention center, which officials are calling the "Speedway Slammer."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Aug. 5 said Indiana's Miami Correctional Facility will expand detention space by 1,000 beds in partnership with the federal government, as the Trump administration scrambles to open new immigration jails amid a surge in immigrant arrests.
The average daily population in ICE custody rose to 57,000 in early August, from fewer than 40,000 in January, before President Donald Trump took office, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.
The "Speedway Slammer" nickname is in keeping with a White House effort to sell its growing immigration enforcement effort to the American people. It follows the opening of a troubled Florida facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." The name is a reference to one of Indiana's best-known facilities, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Immigrant advocates say the nicknames obscure the harrowing conditions that have been documented in ICE detention in recent months and dehumanize the people held there.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed an executive order in January directing state law enforcement agencies to "fully cooperate" with the federal crackdown on illegal immigration, including investigating, arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants.
The Miami Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison located at the former Grissom Air Force Base about 70 miles north of Indianapolis, with about 3,100 beds. Annie Goeller, chief communications officer for IDOC, said part of the facility has gone unused because of a staffing shortage.
More: IDOC prison to house up to 1,000 immigrant detainees as part of effort to ramp up arrests
Concerns about immigration enforcement in Indiana
The Trump administration is looking to expand immigration detention capacity through local partnerships, private contracts and on military bases.
Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, became the first military base to erect an ICE detention camp. The administration is eyeing an Indiana base, as well.
On July 15, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined plans to use Camp Atterbury, south of Indianapolis, to hold detained immigrants temporarily. The Trump administration wants to hold up to 1,000 ICE detainees at the military facility, according to Rep. André Carson, D-Ind.
Braun told IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, that as of Aug. 5, the Trump administration had not established a timeline for when it will use the military base for a detention camp.
"When it comes to our state, we're going to cooperate … as we're housing detainees that have broken the law after they entered illegally," Braun told the IndyStar. "We're going to cooperate with the federal government."
IndyStar reporter Brittany Carloni contributed to this article.
IndyStar reporter Noe Padilla can be reached at npadilla@indystar.com.
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New York Post
6 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump's efforts at Alaska summit applauded by world leaders, while Russia rejoices at no longer being world's pariah: ‘A glimmer of hope has finally opened'
World leaders hailed President Trump's push for a diplomatic breakthrough in the deadly war in Ukraine, calling his sitdown with Vladimir Putin a 'glimmer of hope' on Saturday — a jarring contrast to the triumphant mood in Moscow at no longer being viewed as a global pariah. 'President Trump's efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia's illegal war in Ukraine,' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. 'His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended. 6 Starmer said the world was closer than before to an end to the war in Ukraine. The reactions came after Trump debriefed European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, about his summit with Putin during a Saturday morning phone call. 'While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky,' Starmer added. 6 The German Chancellor was relieved that no land swap had been negotiated without Ukraine at the table. Leaders expressed relief that no land was negotiated without Ukrainian leaders present, after Trump last week had hinted that discussions could include 'some swapping of territories.' 'There were no territorial negotiations between Putin and Trump over the heads of Ukraine and the Europeans, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a video address. 'That is good news.' 'A glimmer of hope has finally opened to discuss peace in Ukraine,' rejoiced Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. 6 Meloni expressed cautious optimism after the bilateral summit. REUTERS European leaders stressed their desire to see unwavering security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a deal, including possible NATO and EU membership. 'I welcome, in this regard, the readiness of the United States to contribute,' French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X Saturday. 'It will also be essential to draw all the lessons from the past 30 years, in particular from Russia's well-established tendency not to honor its own commitments,' he added. 6 Macron expressed some skepticism at Russia's track record of honoring its committments. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Others, however were much more skeptical of Moscow's intentions. 'The results of the Alaska summit confirm that while the US and its allies are seeking paths to peace, Putin is still only interested in the greatest possible territorial gains and the restoration of the Soviet empire,' said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. 'Today, it is even clearer that Russia respects only the strong, and Putin has once again proven to be a cunning and ruthless player,' Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. 6 The leaders met for over three hours in Alaska Friday. In Russia, the summit was seen as a clear win — the red carpet was even rolled out for Putin. The Russian strongman left the world stage facing no immediate sanctions despite not agreeing to calls for a long sought-after cease-fire. 'The President of Russia personally and in detail outlined to the President of the United States our conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine,' Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram. 'Following a nearly three-hour conversation, the head of the White House refused to escalate pressure on Russia.' 6 Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed in Russia. REUTERS The meeting, where Putin received the red-carpet treatment, also signaled the end to Moscow's diplomatic isolation, a status the Kremlin had faced since beginning its war on Ukraine in 2022. In March 2023, the Russian strongman was convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court and a warrant for his arrest was issued. 'Western media are in a state that can be called insanity, bordering on complete madness,' wrote the foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, on Telegram. 'For three years, they have been talking about Russia's isolation, and today they saw the red carpet that greeted the Russian President in the United States.'
New York Post
6 minutes ago
- New York Post
Body language expert reveals ‘little battle' during Trump-Putin handshake at Alaska summit: ‘Let go, I'm winning'
President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin 'looked like buddies' during their initial greetings on the tarmac in Anchorage, Alaska — but by the end of their historic summit the dynamic had shifted. 'Trump stood facing toward Putin and clapped for him as he approached, and symbolically, as the host, that's typically celebratory,' body language expert Patti Wood told The Post about the moment Putin, 72, initially approached Trump, 79, at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Wearing a big grin, Trump appeared 'positive and confident' leading up to their first handshake, which 'communicated that Trump had positive expectations for the meeting,' Wood said. Advertisement 3 President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin 'looked like buddies' upon their first meeting in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday, according to body language expert Patti Wood. via REUTERS When their hands met, however, 'a little battle' broke out between the world leaders. 'When they get into the handshake, Trump is on the bottom and Putin is on top…Trump pulled Putin's arm in, held it close to his body. Advertisement 'Typically, Trump pulls the other person's hand close to his body to say, 'I win. I win the war,'' she said. 'And then he patted Putin's arm with his left hand…that pat on the arm says, 'Let go, I'm winning.'' But Putin played along, echoing the gesture. 'Putin patted Trump on his left shoulder, Trump patted him again – so they were using their hands to hit each other. There was a little power battle going on,' Wood said. 3 'Typically, Trump pulls the other person's hand close to his body to say, 'I win. I win the war.' And then he patted Putin's arm with his left hand…that pat on the arm says, 'Let go, I'm winning,'' Wood explained. REUTERS Advertisement By the end of the lengthy handshake, 'you see them walking side-by-side and they look like buddies,' according to Wood. On Friday, another body language expert, Dr. Beth Dawson, told The Post that the leaders' nonverbal behaviors during the greeting indicated a friendly, 'genuine connection' between them. But after three hours of unsuccessful talks about ending Moscow's war on Ukraine, Trump was less enthused as the two leaders appeared at a news conference and declined to answer questions. 'During the first handshake, Trump had the palm up, but during the last one, he's doing what I call a 'slice' handshake – his hand goes out sideways, his fingers are not cupped, they're sharp…it's very abbreviated. And the expression on Trump's face is weariness – his body language is weary and tired,' Wood said. Advertisement 3 After three hours of unsuccessful talks about ending Moscow's war on Ukraine, however, Trump appeared exhausted as the world leaders bid adieu, according to Wood. Bob Strong/UPI/Shutterstock 'Typically when men shake hands, they face each other to show their strength and bravery and openness. Trump is sideways rather than facing Putin, and that's his desire to escape and get away,' Wood explained. Putin, meanwhile, leaned backward and sported a 'little kid grin' during their farewell, according to Wood.
The Hill
6 minutes ago
- The Hill
Summit puts Putin back on the global stage and Trump echoes a Kremlin position
In Alaska, President Vladimir Putin walked on a red carpet, shook hands and exchanged smiles with his American counterpart. Donald Trump ended the summit praising their relationship and calling Russia 'a big power … No. 2 in the world,' albeit admitting they didn't reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine. By Saturday morning Moscow time, Trump appeared to have abandoned the idea of a ceasefire as a step toward peace — something he and Ukraine had pushed for months -– in favor of pursuing a full-fledged 'Peace Agreement' to end the war, echoing a long-held Kremlin position. The 'severe consequences' he threatened against Moscow for continuing hostilities were nowhere in sight. On Ukraine's battlefields, Russian troops slowly grinded on, with time on their side. The hastily arranged Alaska summit 'produced nothing for Mr. Trump and gave Mr. Putin most of what he was looking for,' said Laurie Bristow, a former British ambassador to Russia. The summit spectacle Putin's visit to Alaska was his first to the United States in 10 years and his first to a Western country since invading Ukraine in 2022 and plunging U.S.-Russia relations to the lowest point since the Cold War. Crippling sanctions followed, along with efforts to shun Russia on the global stage. The International Criminal Court in 2023 issued an arrest warrant for Putin on accusations of war crimes, casting a shadow on his foreign trips and contacts with other world leaders. Trump's return to the White House appeared to upend all that. He warmly greeted Putin, even clapping for him, on a red carpet as U.S. warplanes flew overhead as the world watched. The overflight was both 'a show of power' and a gesture of welcome from the U.S. president to the Kremlin leader, 'shown off to a friend,' said retired Col. Peer de Jong, a former aide to two French presidents and author of 'Putin, Lord of War.' Russian officials and media revelled in the images of the pomp-filled reception Putin received in Alaska, which pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda described as signalling 'utmost respect.' It called the meeting a 'huge diplomatic victory' for Putin, whose forces will have time to make more territorial gains. The reception contrasted starkly with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's March visit to the Oval Office, where Trump treated him like a 'representative of a rogue state,' said Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the German parliament. Putin has 'broken out of international isolation,' returning to the world stage as one of two global leaders and 'wasn't in the least challenged' by Trump, who ignored the arrest warrant for Putin from the ICC, Bristow told The Associated Press. For Putin, 'mission accomplished' Putin 'came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,' said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. 'He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.' In recent months, Trump has pressed for a ceasefire, something Ukraine and its allies supported and insisted was a prerequisite for any peace talks. The Kremlin has pushed back, however, arguing it's not interested in a temporary truce -– only in a long-term peace agreement. Moscow's official demands for peace so far have remained nonstarter for Kyiv: It wants Ukraine to cede four regions that Russia only partially occupies, along with the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine also must renounce its bid to join NATO and shrink its military, the Kremlin says. After Alaska, Trump appeared to echo the Kremlin's position on a ceasefire, posting on social media that after he spoke to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, 'it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.' In a statement after the Trump call, the European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire. The summit took place a week after a deadline Trump gave the Kremlin to stop the war or face additional sanctions on its exports of oil in the form of secondary tariffs on countries buying it. Trump already imposed those tariffs on India, and if applied to others, Russian revenues 'would probably be impacted very badly and very quickly,' said Chris Weafer, CEO of Macro-Advisory Ltd. consultancy. In the days before Alaska, Trump also threatened unspecified 'very severe consequences' if Putin does not agree to stop the war. But whether those consequences will materialize remains unclear. Asked about that in a post-summit interview with Fox News Channel, Trump said he doesn't need 'to think about that right now,' and suggested he might revisit the idea in 'two weeks or three weeks or something.' More pressure on Ukraine In a statement after the summit, Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an 'understanding' on Ukraine and warned Europe not to 'torpedo the nascent progress.' But Trump said 'there's no deal until there's a deal.' In his Fox interview, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy 'to get it done,' but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. Zelenskyy will meet Trump at the White House on Monday. Both raised the possibility of a trilateral summit with Putin, but Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said it wasn't discussed in Alaska. The Kremlin has long maintained that Putin would only meet Zelenskyy in the final stages of peace talks. 'Trump now appears to be shifting responsibility towards Kyiv and Europe, while still keeping a role for himself,' Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia and Eurasia Center wrote on X. Fiona Hill, a senior adviser on Russia to Trump during his first administration, told AP that he has met his match because 'Putin is a much bigger bully.' Trump wants to be the negotiator of 'a big real estate deal between Russia and Ukraine,' she said, but in his mind he can 'apply real pressure' only to one side — Kyiv. Hill said she expects Trump to tell Zelenskyy that 'you're really going to have to make a deal' with Putin because Trump wants the conflict off his plate and is not prepared to put pressure on the Russian president. Far from the summit venue and its backdrop saying 'Pursuing Peace,' Russia continued to bombard Ukraine and make incremental advances on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front. Russia fired a ballistic missile and 85 drones overnight. Ukraine shot down or intercepted 61 drones, its air force said. Front-line areas of Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Chernihiv were attacked. Russia's Defense Ministry said it had taken control of the village of Kolodyazi in the Donetsk region, along with Vorone in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine did not comment on the claims. Russian forces are closing in on the strongholds of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2022 but still only partially controls. 'Unless Mr. Putin is absolutely convinced that he cannot win militarily, the fighting is not going to stop,' said Bristow, the former ambassador. 'That's the big takeaway from the Anchorage summit.'
