DHS defends Louisiana Lockup amid claims of mistreatment, calls reports ‘false sob stories’
Agency says the ICE facility inside Angola Prison houses more than 70 violent offenders and provides medical care, meals and legal access
The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday pushed back against what it described as false reporting about conditions at the so-called Louisiana Lockup, a section of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola used to detain ICE detainees. DHS said recent headlines alleging mistreatment are unfounded and that officers are following established procedures designed to protect detainees and maintain security. The department emphasized that the facility contains a mix of serious offenders and that claims of widespread abuse have consistently been shown to be unsupported by DHS reviews and standard protocols.
According to DHS, the Louisiana Lockup houses more than 70 violent offenders among the detainee population, including at least 26 child predators, 20 other sex offenders and 28 convicted murderers. The sectioned-off portion of Angola sits in West Feliciana Parish, just downriver from Natchez, Mississippi, within the larger Angola complex that has long housed Louisiana’s state penitentiary operations. The designation underscores the magnitude and complexity of managing high-risk detainees within a historic prison setting.
DHS highlighted headlines it said mischaracterized conditions, including claims that detainees were starving or lacking access to medical or mental health care. A department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that detainees have full access to medical treatment, receive three meals per day, have access to legal counsel, and possess other essential items. A deputy to Secretary Kristi Noem added that there is “no hunger strike at Louisiana Lockup.”
“Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, that the media repeats unsubstantiated, false allegations peddled by criminal illegal aliens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This facility is housing the worst of the worst,” she added, challenging critics to name someone worse in society than child molesters and murderers. She defended the federal practice of providing care “from the moment an alien enters ICE custody.”
The remarks followed a broader political conversation around immigration enforcement near the region. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., who represents the area around the jail, told Fox News that the Louisiana operation demonstrates the state’s emphasis on cracking down on illegal immigration and that the facility reflects a proactive approach to handling high-risk detainees.
According to the DHS roster, detainees at Louisiana Lockup include Manna Massaquoi of Liberia, convicted of aggravated assault; Raymond Louis of Haiti, convicted of assaulting a police officer; Jose Gonzalez-Suarez of Cuba, a homicide convict; Cuong Vu Son of Vietnam, convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor; and Bounmy Thammavongsa of Laos, who illegally entered the U.S. and was convicted of raping a disabled person. Additional cases include Jose Hernandez-Garcia of Mexico, Felix Rico of Cuba, Admassu Regassa of Ethiopia, Lam Nguyen of Vietnam, Jorge Cajides-Vegas of Cuba, Boonmee Vang of Laos, and Ibrahim Mohammed of Ethiopia. Carlos Tealdi of Argentina was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor via film, and Anton Khoptynskii of Russia was held on similar charges, along with Henry Santamaria Hernandez for molesting a child.
The DHS briefing takes place amid ongoing political debate over how detention facilities housing noncitizens should be supervised and reported. Authorities say the Louisiana Lockup operates under rigorous security and health protocols, arguing that public narratives about inhumane conditions do not reflect the policy framework governing ICE custody. Critics, meanwhile, press for greater transparency and accountability in detention practices as immigration policy remains a focal point of national politics.
Images: 