Alligator Alcatraz

Alligator Alcatraz
Donald Trump touring Alligator Alcatraz on July 1, 2025
Location in the United States
Location in Florida
LocationDade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee, Florida, U.S.
Coordinates25°51′42″N 080°53′49″W / 25.86167°N 80.89694°W / 25.86167; -80.89694
StatusOperational
Security classImmigration detention center
CapacityUp to 5,000
(projected)[1]
OpenedJuly 3, 2025
Managed byFlorida Division of Emergency Management in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
This article is part of
a series about
Ron DeSantis
Personal
U.S. House of Representatives
46th Governor of Florida
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Alligator Alcatraz[2] is an immigration detention facility erected at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport inside Big Cypress National Preserve in Ochopee, Florida, United States.[2] Announced in June 2025 by the attorney general of Florida, James Uthmeier, and backed by the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, it is located in the Everglades west of Miami, surrounded by "alligator- and python-infested waters".[3]

The detention site[4] is the subject of lawsuits filed by environmental groups,[5] civil liberties groups, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, and members of the Democratic Party, with criticisms generally focused on its environmental impact[6] and the conditions faced by its detainees.[7] Members of the Republican Party, including DeSantis,[8] have defended the facility, arguing it will help the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to cope with the deportation policy of the federal government.[9] Rodolfo Ruiz, a U.S. district judge, has requested all written agreements and contracts showing who has legal custody of the hundreds of detainees.[10] The facility is estimated to cost US$450 million a year,[11] with each bed expected to cost $245 a day, more than the average estimated daily cost of detention of $187 for ICE.[12]

The name alludes to both the local American alligator population and the former maximum-security Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay, California.

Background

In August 2015, during his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump proposed mass deportation as a part of his immigration policy.[13] Trump and supporters such as Stephen Miller have stated that illegal immigrants would be taken to "large-scale staging grounds near the border, most likely in Texas", to be held in internment camps prior to deportation.[14][15] Democratic Party legislators question the use and overreach of emergency powers.[16] Critics compare such a facility to Nazi concentration camps, referring to it as "Alligator Auschwitz"[17] while others situate it within Amercian concentration camps[18], such as Manzanar.

The Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport replaced Everglades Jetport, whose construction began in 1968. Following environmental concerns related to the Big Cypress Swamp and the cancellation of the 2707 Boeing program, construction was halted in 1970 after the completion of just one 10,500' runway. [19] West of Miami, it is accessed by U.S. Route 41 (also known as the Tamiami Trail).

Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport US NAIP satellite image of 2022

History

DeSantis invoked a standing 2023 immigration "state of emergency" to seize the county-owned airfield and fast-track construction without the usual procurement or environmental reviews.[20] He mobilized a team of private companies on June 21, 2025, to build the facility to house 5,000 detained immigrants and deployed the Florida National Guard to secure the site.[16][21]

On June 19, 2025, Florida Attorney General Uthmeier publicly announced the detention center in a video posted to Twitter, in which he called it "Alligator Alcatraz." The name was subsequently adopted in an official capacity according to an unpublished email sent by Uthmeier's spokesperson to the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times.[22] The Govenor's Executive Order of July 31, 2025 [23] related to the Emergency Management of Illegal Immigration does not mention the detention site.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem joined DeSantis and other Florida state leaders on Tuesday July 1, 2025, for the facility's opening. Trump praised it, saying, "It might be as good as the real Alcatraz."[24]

The first group of immigrant detainees arrived on July 3, 2025, beginning the facility's operations.[25] Some detainees have reported harsh conditions at the facility, citing limited access to water, insufficient food, and restrictions on the practice of their religion.[26] Detainees have described unsanitary conditions, including wastewater overflows and insect infestations, as well as inadequate access to medical care.[27] The area on which the facility is located is also subject to frequent bouts of extreme weather, including hurricanes, heavy rainfall, and high heat.[28]

On August 7, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams temporarily halted construction at the facility for two weeks, while she considers if the detention center violates any environmental laws.[29]

Reaction

On June 22 and June 28, 2025, Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee tribal judge and member of the Everglades Advisory Committee, led Indigenous-Led Prayer Gatherings and public demonstrations to highlight environmental and cultural concerns.

Uthmeier has described the 39-square-mile (100 km2) parcel as "the best natural perimeter money can't buy," arguing that the surrounding Everglades wildlife offers a deterrent to escapees.[3] State officials have also argued that the facility's location and its susceptibility to hurricanes will encourage undocumented immigrants to self-deport.[30]

The facility's announcement led to a boost in campaign contributions for state Republicans, which led the Republican Party of Florida to market "Alligator Alcatraz" merchandise.[30] Critics find the fundraising pitch cruel and inaccurate. [31]

On June 27, 2025, a coalition led by Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians filed suit in a federal court seeking an injunction until a full environmental review and public-comment period are completed.[32] Plaintiffs argue the project threatens endangered species habitat and violates both the National Environmental Policy Act and tribal cultural-resource protections.[33] State and federal officials have dismissed the filing as "routine delay tactics."[34]

Talbert Cypress, chairman of the Miccosukee Business Council, noted that no environmental impact research had been done and that some Native villages were within 900 feet (270 m) of the camp's entrance.[35] The Seminole Tribe of Florida was likewise in opposition citing sacred lands.[36][37]

On July 16, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, and Americans for Immigrant Justice filed a class action suit claiming the Trump administration violates the First Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights of people being detained, as well as the First Amendment rights of legal service organizations and law firms with clients held at the facility.[38]

Public opinion

Polling on July 4, 2025, by YouGov found that 48% of Americans opposed the detention center, with 33% supporting it and 18% unsure. 53% of independents polled opposed the facility.[39] In their poll of July 20, 2025, only 28% of women approved of the pre-deportation prison, with 55% disapproving, while less than half of men (42%) favored it.[40]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Protesters line highway in Florida Everglades to oppose 'Alligator Alcatraz'". Associated Press. June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Alligator Alcatraz is no nickname. It's detention camp's official name". Tampa Bay Times. July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Florida AG proposes 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention center in Everglades". ABC News/ABC-7 NY. June 29, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  4. ^ "The Grand Opening of an American Concentration Camp". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  5. ^ AP (August 6, 2025) "Judge considers whether Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center violates environmental law" Spectrum News. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  6. ^ Payne, Kate; Anderson, Curt (June 27, 2025). "Environmental groups sue to block migrant detention center rising in Florida Everglades". AP News. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  7. ^ "Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Lack of Access to Counsel for People Held at Florida's Notorious Everglades Immigration Detention Center". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  8. ^ "Trump tours "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center in Florida - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. July 1, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  9. ^ "Florida AG proposes 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention center in Everglades". ABC7 Los Angeles. June 29, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  10. ^ Schneider, Mike (August 4, 2025) "Judge orders Florida, federal officials to produce ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ agreements" The Hill. Retrieved August 9 2025.
  11. ^ Cooper, Julia (July 7, 2025). "Miami’s first Cuban-born Mayor speaks out against ‘Alligator Alcatraz’" WLRN Public Media. Retrieved August 6, 2025
  12. ^ Ndonwie, Churchill (July 24, 2025) "Contracts reveal the big business of building and operating Alligator Alcatraz" Miami Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  13. ^ Gass, Nick (August 17, 2015). "Trump's immigration plan: Mass deportation". Politico. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017.
  14. ^ Brownstein, Ronald (February 8, 2024). "Trump's 'Knock on the Door'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  15. ^ Graziosi, Graig (September 8, 2024). "Trump says his plan to expel millions of immigrants will be a 'bloody story'". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Ceballos, Ana; Ellenbogen, Romy; Harris, Alex (June 28, 2025). "DeSantis used his emergency powers to get 'Alligator Alcatraz' built". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  17. ^ Walsh, Joan (June 30, 2025). "The Abominable Sadism of "Alligator Auschwitz"". ISSN 0027-8378. Archived from the original on July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  18. ^ Grant, Melissa. "The Grand Opening of an American Concentration Camp". The New Republic. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  19. ^ Freeman, Paul. "Everglades Jetport / Dade Collier Training & Transition Airport (TNT), Everglades, FL". Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  20. ^ Payne, Kate (July 17, 2025). "Emails show DeSantis administration blindsided county officials with plans for 'Alligator Alcatraz'". Yahoo News.
  21. ^ Abarca, Francesca (July 1, 2025). "Trump at 'Alligator Alcatraz': Facts on Florida Everglades immigration detention center". The Palm Beach Post. Gannett Co., Inc.
  22. ^ Bridges, C.A. (July 8, 2025). "Is Alligator Alcatraz the official name of the Florida immigrant detention center?". USA Today. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  23. ^ Newsroom of the Executive Office of the Governor Ron DeSantis. Retrieved August 10, 2025
  24. ^ Dixon, Matt; Gutierrez, Gabe (July 1, 2025). "'Alligator Alcatraz' immigrant detention facility opens, with Trump in attendance". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  25. ^ Anderson, Curt; Payne, Kate (July 3, 2025). "First immigration detainees arrive at Florida center in the Everglades". AP News.
  26. ^ McAllister, Anna (July 8, 2025). "Alligator Alcatraz detainees allege inhumane conditions at immigration detention center". CBS News. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  27. ^ Salomon, Gisela; Payne, Kate (July 11, 2025). "Detained immigrants at 'Alligator Alcatraz' say there are worms in food and wastewater on the floor". AP News. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  28. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko; Rojanasakul, Mira (August 4, 2025). "Environmental Concerns at 'Alligator Alcatraz' Include Storms and Flooding". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  29. ^ Fischer, David (August 7, 2025). "Judge orders temporary halt to construction at Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center". AP News. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  30. ^ a b "'Alligator Alcatraz' immigrant detention facility opens, with Trump in attendance". NBC News. July 1, 2025. Archived from the original on July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  31. ^ Bendery, Jennifer (July 14, 2015). "House GOP Raises Money By Joking About Immigrants Being Mauled By Alligators" HuffPost. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  32. ^ "Environmental groups sue to block migrant detention center rising in Florida Everglades". Associated Press. June 27, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  33. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko (August 8, 2025). "'Alligator Alcatraz' in the Florida Everglades Is Testing Environmental Law". The New York Times.
  34. ^ "Environmental groups try blocking Trump's 'Alligator Alcatraz' with last-minute lawsuit". Fox News. June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  35. ^ "Florida tribe fights new 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant facility near Everglades homes (July 2, 2025)". ABC News.
  36. ^ Goñi-Lessan, Ana. "Seminole Tribe of Florida joins opposition to 'Alligator Alcatraz' in Everglades". St. Augustine Record.
  37. ^ "Environmental and Indigenous Groups Mobilize to Stop 'Alligator Alcatraz' (June 30, 2025)". Common Dreams.
  38. ^ "Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Lack of Access to Counsel for People Held at Florida's Notorious Everglades Immigration Detention Center". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  39. ^ "Almost half of Americans disapprove of Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz', new poll shows". The Independent. July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  40. ^ Gancarski, A. G. (July 15, 2025). "Poll: 'Alligator Alcatraz' scores with Republicans, riles independents and Dems". Florida Politics. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
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