History Repeats Itself

Ecclesiastes 1:9

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Did you know that on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced removal of Japanese Americans from the West Coast to relocation centers further inland? This action resulted in the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans, including 70,000 U.S. citizens. The decision was made in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and was driven by fears of potential attacks and sabotage, especially along the vulnerable West Coast where naval ports, shipping, and agriculture were concentrated.

Recently, I noticed that the President Trump has issued Executive Order 14159, which involves arresting American citizens from various countries around the world and placing them in detention camps across here in the US, particularly targeting groups from various South American countries like Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and etc. According to the Migration Policy Institute's article "U.S. Immigrants, detention grows to record numbers. Detention is central to the administration’s strategy to expand deportation efforts to unprecedented levels. When president Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, there were 39,000 people in ICE custody—a figure that rose to 61,000 by late August and could reach as high as 107,000 by January 2026. No previous administration ever held an average of more than 50,200 people per day (the record set in fiscal year 2019, during Trump’s first term). As of September, the average stay in immigration detention was 44 days, with each detainee costing $152 per day.

To rapidly increase detention capacity, the administration has relied on various nontraditional facilities, such as state-run prisons in remote areas, tent structures, military bases, and even prisons in other countries. Private prison contractors are playing a crucial role in this expansion, standing to gain substantial financial rewards. Beyond those detained by ICE, many others facing removal are being held in local jails or facilities run by states like Texas and Florida, as well as other federal agencies like the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The administration continues to grow this network of partner jails, some of which have been given names by Trump supporters, such as Florida’s "Alligator Alcatraz," "Deportation Depot," Nebraska’s "Cornhusker Clink," and Louisiana’s "Lockup" (formally known as Angola Prison).

Although immigration detention is officially civil—not criminal—and intended to ensure individuals appear for removal proceedings, the Trump administration has emphasized the harsh conditions of detention, perhaps to encourage voluntary or "self-deportation." Trump and other officials have been vocal about these policies. See article on: Article: U.S. Immigrant Detention Grows to Record .. | migrationpolicy.org

Expansion of the Detention System

To meet the growing demand for detention capacity, the administration has relied on a range of nontraditional facilities, including state-run prisons in remote locations, temporary tent structures, military bases, and even prisons located in other countries. Private prison contractors have become integral to this expansion, as they stand to receive significant financial benefits. Beyond those detained by ICE, numerous others facing removal are held in local jails or facilities operated by states such as Texas and Florida, along with other federal agencies like the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This evolving network of partner jails continues to grow, with some facilities even acquiring informal names from Trump supporters, such as Florida’s "Alligator Alcatraz," "Deportation Depot," Nebraska’s "Cornhusker Clink," and Louisiana’s "Lockup" (officially known as Angola Prison).