Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Immigration Center Begins Receiving Detainees Amidst Growing Controversy
Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Immigration Center Begins Receiving Detainees Amidst Growing Controversy
The controversial new detention center, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” deep in the Florida Everglades has begun receiving its first group of immigrants, a spokesperson for Republican state Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed. While specific numbers and arrival times were not immediately provided, the development marks a significant step for the facility championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.
Attorney General Uthmeier, credited as the architect behind the Everglades proposal, posted on social media Wednesday, “Next stop: back to where they came from.” The Florida Division of Emergency Management, responsible for the site’s construction, also posted Thursday, crediting DeSantis’s leadership and coordination with federal agencies for its rapid setup.
The facility, built in just eight days at a training airport, is designed to house an initial 3,000 detainees, with plans to expand to 5,000 beds by early July. It boasts extensive security features, including over 200 cameras and thousands of feet of barbed wire. Immigrants arrested by Florida law enforcement under the federal 287(g) program, which allows local police to detain individuals for potential deportation, will be housed here.
The center has quickly become a flashpoint for debate. Florida Democratic lawmakers conducted an official site visit Thursday, citing concerns over detainee conditions and the awarding of state contracts. Meanwhile, federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, have sought to distance themselves from the facility, stating no federal funds have been spent despite Trump’s earlier tour and endorsement.
Human rights advocates and Native American tribes have also protested, raising concerns about the facility’s impact on the fragile Everglades ecosystem, the harsh conditions for detainees due to heat and mosquitoes, and its location on sacred tribal lands. Despite flooding issues during a recent visit by former President Trump, state officials assert the complex can withstand a Category 2 hurricane, with contractors working to mitigate water issues. The facility’s remote location and its ominous nickname are intended as a deterrent, reflecting the Trump administration’s strategy to encourage voluntary departures.
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