Donald Trump chickened out after Louisiana briefly named a brutal prison camp in his honor. The facility, known as “Camp 47” with a sign referencing Trump as the 47th president, was shut down due to horrific conditions. It reopened Wednesday as “Camp 57,” allegedly to honor Louisiana’s governor, Jeff Landry. The move appears to be a retreat from the camp’s dark past, which the White House likely found too damaging to associate with Trump.
- Louisiana reopens Angola prison for ICE detainees
- Original “Camp 47” renamed “Camp 57”
- Past conditions included security failures, suicides
- Officials promote detention expansion, harsh measures
- Angola site built on former slave plantation
- White House and DHS declined comment
The Angola State Penitentiary’s “Camp J” closed in 2018 after security failures, suicides, and staff resignations. It was dubbed “Camp J” and criticized as more like a dungeon, with reports of malfunctioning locks and rampant weapons use. Two inmates hanged themselves there in April 2016, raising alarms over mental health. Despite its grim history, DHS now uses the name “Louisiana Lockup” for the site, which can hold up to 416 detainees, mainly targeting violent migrants.
- The camp was reopened after emergency repairs to fix safety issues.
- Officials transferred 51 detainees on opening day, with plans for more.
- Homeland Security aims to detain the “worst of the worst” migrants there.
- Louisiana’s governor and DHS officials promote the site as part of a crackdown expansion.
Landry highlighted the camp’s intimidating location, saying: “Nobody wants to leave this place.” The White House and DHS have not commented publicly on the camp’s history or its rebranding, but the move signals a focus on strict detention policies.
Overall, the camp’s reopening under a new name reflects ongoing tensions over detention practices and the legacy of past abuses at Angola. The incident underscores the controversial approach to migrant detention in the U.S.
