OCHOPEE, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump visited a newly established migrant detention facility, colloquially dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” on Tuesday amidst growing controversy over its location in the Florida Everglades. Joined by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, known for his hardline immigration stance, Trump endorsed the facility’s severe conditions, asserting that it would deter migrants from entering the country illegally.
During the tour, DeSantis praised the tent-style camp, situated on mosquito-laden terrain about 50 miles west of Miami, as a model for other states aiming to bolster border enforcement. “People are going to police themselves,” he claimed. “They won’t want to end up in an Alligator Alcatraz.” While DeSantis projects the site as an effective deterrent, critics contend that the facility undermines environmental integrity and subjects detainees to inhumane treatment.
As Trump and DeSantis arrived, they were met by hundreds of protesters decrying the conditions that would befall migrants accused of entering the U.S. without documentation. The camp, which DeSantis anticipates will hold up to 1,000 detainees, is set to operate in an area rife with alligators and snakes, a point Trump humorously addressed. “The snakes are fast, but alligators are faster,” he remarked, providing what he described as survival advice.
In a press briefing following the tour, Trump dismissed concerns regarding the extreme weather conditions in the Everglades, suggesting that the facility could rival the infamous Alcatraz in its stringent policies. The former president commended the quick setup of the site, likening it to performance art executed by the DeSantis administration. Ultimately, the camp could expand to accommodate up to 5,000 detainees.
The Florida National Guard will oversee security at the camp, with taxpayers initially footing a $450 million bill for its establishment and ongoing operations. DeSantis indicated that they expect reimbursement from the Department of Homeland Security for these costs.
Advocacy groups have criticized the decision to place migrants in such a harsh environment, asserting that many detainees are noncriminals. Even as Trump and his supporters claim that enforcement targets only those with criminal backgrounds, recent data reveals a surge in arrests among those without any prior criminal record. Statistics indicate that over 11,700 individuals currently in immigration detention have no history of charges or convictions.
As Trump visited the camp, reports surfaced of increasing fatalities among those in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, including the recent death of a 75-year-old Cuban man in Miami. Critics such as Thomas Kennedy of the Florida Immigrant Coalition have labeled the detention facility a symbol of intentional suffering. “It’s a statement,” he said, “to choose such a controversial site like the Everglades.”
DeSantis, however, characterized the camp as a temporary solution, promising that detainees will have access to adequate resources. He pointed out that the tents, equipped with bunk beds and portable air conditioning, were designed for use during hurricane evacuees, aiming to alleviate critics’ concerns regarding comfort and safety.
Environmental advocacy groups, including Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, have taken legal action against the project, arguing that it bypasses essential environmental assessments. The plan has also drawn sharp rebuke from Democratic politicians, with one congressman, Maxwell Frost, calling the camp “a cruel spectacle” and decrying what he perceives as exacerbation of physical and psychological distress for migrants.
The controversy surrounding “Alligator Alcatraz” highlights the contentious debate over immigration policy in the United States, raising questions about the treatment of vulnerable populations, the ethical responsibilities of state governments, and the environmental implications of policymaking in sensitive areas.