"South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem presents the 'Speedway Slammer,' a newly established detention center for ICE."
The state of Indiana is home to a new migrant detention center, named the Speedway Slammer, located at the Miami Correctional Facility. This facility, which will add 1,000 beds for ICE detainees, is part of a broader immigration enforcement expansion funded by the "One Big Beautiful Bill" signed by former President Trump on July 4, 2025[1][2].
The Speedway Slammer takes its name from Indiana's auto racing heritage, specifically the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, the use of racing imagery has sparked controversy, with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway formally objecting to the unauthorized use of their intellectual property in the DHS's public announcements[4].
Indiana's Republican Governor, Mike Braun, has expressed pride in working with federal authorities to remove criminals from the country, and Indiana agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, State Police, and National Guard are involved in these cooperative efforts[1][3][5].
The Speedway Slammer is intended to house "some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens arrested by ICE," according to the Department of Homeland Security[1]. This focus on detaining dangerous individuals has drawn comparisons to Florida's controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center, which also purported to hold the "worst criminals," yet federal data showed that many detainees have no criminal records[2].
The creation of the Speedway Slammer is a cooperative effort between the state Department of Corrections and the federal government[5]. Governor Braun has agreed to cooperate with Secretary Noem's department on the project, as stated on Aug. 1[1].
Meanwhile, President Trump, Secretary Noem, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have announced that Alligator Alcatraz will handle the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet[3]. However, the facility has been criticized as an inhumane makeshift prison camp by critics[6].
During a tour of Alligator Alcatraz, Democratic lawmakers slammed the facility[7]. President Trump himself compared Alligator Alcatraz to a place he wouldn't want to go hiking[8]. Despite the criticism, Trump has praised Alligator Alcatraz as a model for future nationwide facilities aimed at accelerating deportations[3].
In a controversial move, the Department of Homeland Security shared an AI-generated image of an Indy 500 car with the word "ICE" plastered across its livery, racing past a looming concrete prison surrounded by barbed wire and watch towers[9]. This image, reminiscent of the Speedway Slammer, has further fuelled the debate surrounding these detention centers and their impact on migrants.
References:
- Indiana Gov. Mike Braun told Fox News that the state is proud to work with President Trump and Secretary Noem on the Speedway Slammer project
- Criticism of the Speedway Slammer includes comparisons to Florida's controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center
- Trump, Noem, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that Alligator Alcatraz will handle the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet
- The Indianapolis Motor Speedway formally objected to the unauthorized use of their intellectual property in the DHS's public announcements
- The Indiana-based facility is built in partnership with the state Department of Corrections
- Alligator Alcatraz has been criticized as an inhumane makeshift prison camp by critics
- During a tour of the facility, Democratic lawmakers slammed Alligator Alcatraz
- Trump compared Alligator Alcatraz to a place he wouldn't want to go hiking
- On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security shared an AI-generated image of an Indy 500 car with the word "ICE" plastered across its livery, racing past a looming concrete prison surrounded by barbed wire and watch towers
- The controversy surrounding the Speedway Slammer migrant detention center in Indiana extends beyond its purpose, as the use of racing imagery, reminiscent of the Indy 500, has sparked objections from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, alleging unauthorized use of their intellectual property.
- The DHS's shared AI-generated image, portraying an Indy 500 car with "ICE" on its livery, racing past a concrete prison, evokes the Speedway Slammer and has further fueled debates about the impact of these detention centers on migrants.
- The Speedway Slammer, amidst increasing immigration enforcement, is positioned next to sports heritage, with the focus on housing criminal illegal aliens, while the controversial Alligator Alcatraz in Florida handles menacing migrants, raising questions about law-enforcement collaboration in entertainment, sports, crime-and-justice, and policy-and-legislation contexts.
