After the establishment of the ICE detention center in the Florida Everglades, known as Alligator Alcatraz, which was made to detain 3,000 migrants, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new detention center would be established here in Indiana.
The establishment of this new detention center is concerning, to say the least, due to the fact of the disturbing reports that have come out of Alligator Alcatraz, despite it only being open for a couple months.
Now that there is a detention center being opened in Indiana, it could lead to many more migrants being detained for unnecessary reasons.
According to an article written by CNN, establishing this center will cost around $450 million to run per year. On Aug. 5, the Department of Homeland Security announced its new partnership with the state of Indiana and Governor Mike Braun to establish a new center they are referring to as the “Speedway Slammer.”
The “Speedway Slammer" will be an expansion of the already established Miami Correctional Facility located in Bunker Hill, Indiana, over an hour away from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway it is named after. After the DHS initially used an image of an IndyCar vehicle to promote the announcement of the new detention facility, the IMS owner Penske Entertainment said they were unaware that their imagery was being used in the announcement.
“Consistent with our approach to public policy and political issues, we are communicating our preference that our IP not be utilized moving forward in relation to this matter,” Penske Entertainment said in a statement to the Indianapolis Star.
According to the DHS, this “Speedway Slammer” expansion will add 1,000 additional beds to detain undocumented immigrants at the Miami Correctional Facility. But the problem is that most people who are detained by ICE aren’t even criminals and are usually only coming to the United States for a better life. According to TRAC reports, there are 70.4% of ICE detainees as of Aug. 10 who have no criminal convictions.
I am disgusted with what's happening currently in the United States, knowing that people are being detained for no real reason despite them not being natural-born U.S. citizens. This may also hit close to home for people because many parents have taken the risk of coming to the United States in attempts to give their children a better life.
The establishment of this facility makes me feel like this is a complete waste of time and resources. And it will undoubtedly lead to many more people getting detained unnecessarily.