DIGITAL TOOLKIT

Cancel the Contracts! No Child Detention in Louisiana

WHAT’S GOING ON?

On February 23, 2026, board members of the England Airpark Economic and Industrial Development District (EEIDD) prematurely voted to authorize Executive Director Ralph Hennessy to sign new contracts with DHS/ICE, Compass Connections, and LaSalle Corrections. These agreements allow for the construction of a 528-bed detention center for families and unaccompanied children at a former military base adjacent to the airport, alongside a “staging” facility where individuals would await deportation flights. Aiming to open in late August, this timeline overlaps exactly with when tens of thousands of unaccompanied children will be stripped of their access to legal counsel. Our government is deliberately targeting children for detention and deportation.

While the Board was led to believe this would be a temporary 72-hour facility supporting a "humanitarian effort" for families volunteering to "self-deport," the reality is that these families are held under strict ICE custody without the freedom to leave. Similar facilities—like Dilley ICE Detention Center in Texas—frequently subject detainees to prolonged stays, despite also being designated for temporary housing. And, the truth behind the myth of “self-deportation” is coercion and desperation: families are facing traumatic separation from their loved ones, loss of income when a loved one is detained or deported, and threats of violence and death at the hands of ICE officers.

Furthermore, children and families detained in these former military barracks could be exposed to toxic “forever” chemicals, including PFAS and TCEs — exposure that is proven to have devastating effects on children's health and well-being. The Board has also been alerted to the presence of asbestos in the buildings, yet they have failed to explain what measures are being taken to protect the workers renovating them.

Despite community advocates pushing for transparency and requesting copies of the contracts from the Airpark—a governing state body subject to public accountability laws—they continue to be stonewalled. Moreover, media reports this month directly confirmed that Compass Connections has suddenly withdrawn from the project. This clear exit exposes the endeavor for what it truly is: a child and family detention center operated by an entity directly tied to a private prison company. LaSalle Corrections has a long history of medical negligence and abuse resulting in deaths, including two of the most recent fatalities in ICE custody at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, LA.

Consequently, congressional leaders, community advocates, and individuals formerly detained in ICE facilities are raising alarm over the project's secrecy, lack of oversight, and severe environmental health risks.

WHAT ACTION CAN I TAKE?

  • Email or call the England Airpark Board of Directors to demand they cancel the contracts
  • Email or call local elected officials who appointed the Board members to demand they publicly denounce this contract and demand an answer to a public inquiry before any more renovation work is done
  • Virtually attend the July 23, 2026 England Airpark Board Meeting at 4PM CT/5PM ET via their livestream link
  • Post on your social media pages and tag @englandairpark to demand they cancel the contracts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Sample Email Template - To England Airpark Board of Directors
  • Sample Email Template - To Local Elected Officials
  • Sample Phone Script - To England Airpark Board of Directors
  • Sample Phone Script - To Local Elected Officials
  • Social Media Graphics w/ Sample Posts
  • Media Reporting

Sample Email Template - To England Airpark Board of Directors

Email Addresses: olavergne@agilushealth.com;  contact@jamarlgailes.com; trey@northstartag.com;  joshua.dara@lcuniversity.edu; administrator@zionhill.com;  mlawson@englandairpark.org; jmcpherson@maisondelafayette.com; patrick.oquin@lpl.com; cweems@goldweems.com;  zwinstead@lsua.edu;  

Subject: Cancel the Contracts - Stop Children and Families from Being Detained in Alexandria, LA!

Dear Board Members of the England Economic & Industrial Development District,

My name is First Name (Last Name optional). I am a resident of (specific parish) in Louisiana. Media reporting has confirmed that the Board has approved the construction of a detention center at the Airpark. The Board was led to believe that this would be a family facility providing “humanitarian services” to immigrant children and families. The reality is that this is a detention center and an expansion of the current deportation business at the Airpark.

In a production of public records received by local advocates, the language is quite clear that the goal of this center is to incarcerate children and families at the Airpark. As a matter of urgency, given that the information provided to the board and the community at the February 26, 2026 meeting was misleading and considering the substantial changes that have occurred as it relates to this project, we are asking the Board to use their authority to cancel the contracts with DHS and LaSalle Family Foundation.

While we acknowledge that the Board has a fiduciary responsibility to develop the Airpark, that development should protect the public health and welfare [Sec.33:130.35 (9). Powers]. Simply put, this Board has made a bad investment and broken its fiduciary obligation. 

Additionally, the Board has violated its fiduciary responsibility by approving a new contract where the appropriate environmental review has not been completed, to date. The Board must be aware of the high levels of toxic chemicals present in the ground given the Airpark’s history as a U.S. Air Force base. Exposure to these chemicals – be it construction workers, workers employed at this center, or the children and families detained here - could lead to the Board being held financially liable for this toxic exposure.

You have been misled: this new center would not be a humane facility for families - it will be a cruel detention center. There is no distinction between what is proposed for Alexandria and what is currently taking place at the Dilley Family Detention Center located in Texas. While the Dilley facility was also contracted to “provide an appropriate setting for a family population (and) residential services in an open and safe environment”, the facility is known nationally for its horrific treatment and cruelty towards children and families (https://www.propublica.org/article/life-inside-ice-dilley-children), which was never the legacy that the residents and business community of Dilley wanted.

In sum, your investment is not a good investment for Alexandria. Cancel the contracts. You have the support of the community behind you to find something better that Alexandria can be proud of.

Sample Email Template - To Local Elected Officials

Email addresses:

Subject: Cancel the Contracts - Stop Children and Families from Being Detained in Alexandria, LA!

Dear City Council members, members of the Police Jury, and members of the Chamber of Commerce,

My name is First Name (Last Name optional). I am a resident of (specific parish) in Louisiana. Media reporting has confirmed that the individuals you appointed to the England Authority Board of Commissioners have approved the construction of a child and family detention center. The England Airpark Board was led to believe that this would be a family facility providing “humanitarian services” to immigrant children and families. The reality is that this is a detention center and an expansion of the current deportation business at the Airpark.

In a production of public records received by local advocates, the language is quite clear that the goal of this center is to incarcerate children and families at the Airpark. As a matter of urgency, given that the information provided to the board and the community at the February 26, 2026 meeting was misleading and considering the substantial changes that have occurred as it relates to this project, we are asking the England Authority Board to use their authority to cancel the contracts with DHS and LaSalle Family Foundation. We are asking you, as representatives of your constituency, to make a public inquiry into these contracts and publicly denounce this project at the Airpark.

While we acknowledge that the England Authority Board has a fiduciary responsibility to develop the Airpark, that development should protect the public health and welfare [Sec.33:130.35 (9). Powers]. Simply put, this England Authority Board has made a bad investment and broken its fiduciary obligation. 

Additionally, the England Authority Board has violated its fiduciary responsibility by approving a new contract where the appropriate environmental review has not been completed, to date. The Board must be aware of the high levels of toxic chemicals present in the ground given the Airpark’s history as a U.S. Air Force base. Exposure to these chemicals – be it construction workers, workers employed at this center, or the children and families detained here - could lead to the Board being held financially liable for this toxic exposure.

The England Authority Board has been misled: this new center would not be a humane facility for families - it will be a cruel detention center. There is no distinction between what is proposed for Alexandria and what is currently taking place at the Dilley Family Detention Center located in Texas. While the Dilley facility was also contracted to “provide an appropriate setting for a family population (and) residential services in an open and safe environment”, the facility is known nationally for its horrific treatment and cruelty towards children and families (https://www.propublica.org/article/life-inside-ice-dilley-children), which was never the legacy that the residents and business community of Dilley wanted.

In sum, the England Authority Board’s investment is not a good investment for Alexandria. We ask that you also attend the July 23rd England Authority Board meeting and publicly denounce the signing of these contracts. You have the support of the community behind you to find something better that Alexandria can be proud of.

Sample Phone Script - To England Airpark Board of Directors

Phone number(s): 318-449-3504; 318-427-6462; 318-427-6407; 318-449-3504

*Please leave a voicemail if your call is not answered*

“Hello, my name is First Name (Last Name optional). I am a resident of (specific parish) in Louisiana. I am calling to demand that the Board use its’ authority to cancel the contracts with DHS and LaSalle Family Foundation. Moving forward with these contracts would make Central Louisiana shamefully known as the home to a new family and child detention center - this is not something that will encourage future investments at the Airpark. The Board has also broken its fiduciary responsibility by allowing for Ralph Hennessey to sign these contracts without the contracts or relevant environmental testing to be finalized. This detention center is NOT a voluntary humanitarian program: it is just another ICE cage that could keep children and families incarcerated for months at a time and could expose them to toxic chemicals, leaving the Airpark exposed for financial liability. This is not a good investment for Alexandria: Cancel the contracts.

Sample Phone Script - To Local Elected Officials

Phone number:

  • Rapides Parish Police Jury- (318) 473-6660
  • The Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce- (318) 442-6671

*Please leave a voicemail if your call is not answered*

“Hello, my name is First Name (Last Name optional). I am a resident of (specific parish) in Louisiana. I am calling to demand that you publicly denounce the new family and child detention center at the England Airpark in Alexandria. The individual(s) you appointed to the England Authority Board of Commissioners have allowed Ralph Hennessy to prematurely sign new contracts with DHS and LaSalle Family Foundation. This new “facility” is not a humanitarian project - it is an ICE detention center where children will suffer tremendous harm and trauma. There are toxic environmental chemicals that workers, as well as families and children detained, can be exposed to, which could bring financial liability to the Airpark. The Board has also refused to allow the community and the general public to see a copy of these contracts, violating the community’s trust. This is not a good investment for Alexandria: We ask that you speak to your appointee on the Board and demand a full inquiry into the true nature of this new investment. You will hear what we know - this is an ICE detention center caging families and children.

Social Media Graphics & Sample Posts

RESHARE: Official Post from SEDND Coalition: Instagram Post - Cancel the Contracts

Sample Instagram Post:

  • 🚨 528 BEDS FOR KIDS. AUGUST 2026 OPENING. England Airpark just approved a family detention center at a former military base.

⚠️ Children will lose legal counsel access right when it opens ⚠️ Asbestos + toxic PFAS chemicals in buildings ⚠️ Board won't release contracts ⚠️ LaSalle Corrections = deaths in ICE custody

THIS ISN'T HUMANITARIAN AID. IT'S DETENTION.

TAKE ACTION: ✉️ Email England Airpark Board → demand contract cancellation 🗓️ Join meeting: July 23 @ 4PM CT 📲 @englandairpark

Share this. Protect families. ✊

#EndChildDetention #ImmigrantRights #EnglandAirpark #NoMoreCamps #ProtectChildren #CommunityOrganizing


Sample Facebook Post:

  • 🚨 URGENT: England Airpark Approved Family Detention Center

The Facts: • Feb 23, 2026: Board authorized contracts with ICE contractors • 528 beds for families & unaccompanied children • Opening: Late August 2026 (coincides with children losing legal counsel access) • Buildings contain asbestos + toxic chemicals • Board refusing public records requests • LaSalle Corrections has documented deaths in ICE custody

They said "temporary humanitarian facility." Reality = strict ICE custody, forced separation, no oversight.

ACTION NOW:

Email/call England Airpark Board to cancel these contracts

Contact local elected officials who appointed the board

Virtual board meeting: July 23 @ 4PM CT / 5PM ET

@englandairpark

We organize. We act. We defend immigrant families.

Share this post. Comment below for contact info. ✊

#EndChildDetention #ImmigrantRights #EnglandAirpark #AbolishICE #FamilySeparation #NoMoreCamps #ProtectChildren

Media Reporting