A new partnership between the federal government and the state of Indiana to expand immigrant detention is facing backlash, fueled by its "Speedway Slammer" nickname. Top officials in the Trump administration have lauded the agreement, boasting that it will become the next "Alligator Alcatraz".

The agreement aims to increase detention beds for immigrants facing deportation in Indiana by 1,000 under a revived federal program. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the deal, stating Indiana would help remove "the worst of the worst out of our country". The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also posted an image on social media of a race car with "ICE" emblazoned on it speeding past a barbed-wire prison wall. Noem likened the "Speedway Slammer" to a controversial facility in the Florida Everglades.

Despite the announcement, the Indiana agreement does not involve new construction. Federal funds will instead be used to create space within the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, about 75 miles north of Indianapolis. According to Indiana Department of Correction spokeswoman Annie Goeller, the prison has a total capacity of 3,100 beds, with 1,200 currently not in use. Officials have not yet released a start date for detentions. Geoller stated that the details of the partnership and how the IDOC can best support the effort are still being determined.

The agreement is part of the 287(g) program, which has been revived and expanded under the Trump administration. The program delegates immigration enforcement powers to state and local law enforcement agencies. Immigrants, attorneys, and advocates have voiced concerns about the program.