Florida's ‘Alligator Alcatraz' to receive first group of immigrants following Trump visit

Indian Express

a day ago

Florida's controversial new immigration detention facility, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' is set to begin holding its first group of detainees, just two days after US President Donald Trump visited the site. The centre, located deep in the Florida Everglades, has drawn national attention for its harsh location, rapid construction, and symbolism.
According to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, 'Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight. Next stop: back to where they came from,' he wrote on X.
The exact timing and origin of the incoming detainees remain unclear, but officials confirmed they are being transported to the site by buses.
The detention centre, located on an isolated airstrip used for training, is expected to begin operating with 500 to 1,000 beds within days. It will gradually expand in 500-bed increments to reach an estimated 5,000 by early July, according to a Trump administration official cited by AP.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who toured the site with Trump earlier this week, said the facility was built in just eight days. When fully operational, it will have the capacity to hold about 3,000 detainees, surrounded by 28,000 feet of barbed wire, over 200 security cameras, and 400 security personnel.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, as per AP that Florida completed the project faster and more cheaply than private contractors, calling it 'a real solution that we'll be able to use if we need to.'
Immigrants arrested under the federal 287(g) program will be housed at the Everglades facility, a Trump administration official said. The program, run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allows local law enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants for possible deportation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the centre 'sends a strong message to migrants.' She added, 'There's only one road leading in, and the only way out is a one-way flight. It's isolated and surrounded by dangerous wildlife and unforgiving terrain.'
During his visit on Tuesday, Trump made headlines for joking about escape scenarios. Touring the swampy, alligator-filled area, he said, 'We're going to teach them how to run away from an alligator if they escape prison. Don't run in a straight line. Run like this. Your chances go up about 1%.'
Experts at the University of Florida have since clarified that running in a straight line is, in fact, the correct method if being chased by an alligator.
The centre's location—roughly 80 km west of Miami—has sparked backlash from environmental groups and Native American tribes. Critics argue that the site, which sits in protected swampland, threatens the fragile Everglades ecosystem and is culturally insensitive, with tribes considering the land sacred.
Trump's administration has faced criticism over proposed immigration detention ideas, including reusing Alcatraz and Guantánamo Bay, which were deemed too costly or impractical. The Everglades project, by contrast, was completed quickly and on a lower budget, according to state officials.
Beyond immigration enforcement, 'Alligator Alcatraz' has become a potent political symbol. The Republican Party of Florida is already fundraising off the project, selling T-shirts and beer koozies branded with the facility's name. State and federal officials have also circulated memes online depicting alligators in ICE hats guarding the perimeter.
(With inputs from AP)