Louisiana Lockup — Angola Prison Camp 57 (Former Camp J)

Overview

Opened September 3, 2025, the “Louisiana Lockup” is a repurposed solitary confinement unit (formerly Camp J, renamed Camp 57 after Governor Landry being the 57th governor) at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola — the largest maximum-security prison in the United States and a former slave plantation. Camp J was closed in 2018 due to safety and security concerns and reopened specifically for ICE detention.

Contract Structure

Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections contracted with LaSalle Corrections (Aug 29, 2025) to operate the facility for up to two years
State pays flat fee of $949,000/month (calculated at $150/day x 208 inmates x 365 days)
For each person beyond the initial 208: additional $125/day
Federal government reimburses the state for the full cost

Conditions

Detainees have reported:

23-hour daily lockdown in cells
20 detainees sharing one roll of toilet paper
Diabetic denied insulin, coughing up blood
Small, dirty cells with terrible smells and flooding toilets
No cameras; cruel guards
“Disgusting” food in small portions

Hunger Strike (September 2025)

On September 17, 2025, 19 detainees began a hunger strike to protest conditions. Their demands included medical care, mental health care, prescription medications, basic hygiene supplies, and access to ICE officers to address grievances.

Officials denied the strike occurred. DOC records showed 17 people refused meals and 3 continued refusing for an extended period. A man recommended for hernia surgery two months earlier at another facility was receiving no treatment at Angola.

Why It Matters

Angola carries the weight of its history — a former slave plantation turned prison. The Vera Institute titled their analysis “Reopening the Plantation.” Federal authorities chose Angola specifically as a deterrent, to “encourage people in the U.S. illegally to self-deport” by housing them in a facility associated with “the worst of the worst.” The plantation-to-prison-to-detention-center pipeline is literal here.

Detention Pipeline