Almost half of Americans disapprove of Florida's ‘Alligator Alcatraz', new poll shows
In all, 48 percent of the 2,983 people who responded to the YouGov survey on Thursday said they were not in favor of the facility while just 33 percent said they supported it, with another 18 percent unsure.
While Republicans and Democrats were largely split along party lines, just 26 percent of respondents who identified themselves as independent voters said they backed the idea while 53 percent were against it.
Another noteworthy finding from YouGov's poll was the revelation that 47 percent of Americans believe detainees are being treated too severely by ICE while 23 percent said they were being treated appropriately, 10 percent they were not being treated harshly enough, with the remainder unsure.
The 'Alligator Alcatraz' was announced last month by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who explained in a social media video that it was being built over 39 square miles on the site of the disused Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which lies west of Miami.
The facility consists largely of tents, will have the capacity to house up to 5,000 people and cost $450m a year to run.
Uthmeier gloated in the video that it would require minimal additional security due to its remote location, which is home to such dangerous wildlife as alligators and pythons. 'Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide,' he beamed.
He has since appeared on Newsmax to boast that Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other 'communist members of Congress' would not be able to protest outside the center because they would not be able to find it.
Trump himself visited it in person on Tuesday, accompanied by Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and seemed particularly taken with the threat the local wildlife posed.
'You don't always have land so beautiful and so secure,' he observed. 'We have a lot of bodyguards and a lot of cops in the form of alligators... I wouldn't want to run through the Everglades for long.'
He recalled joking about running a moat populated by vicious creatures along the base of his U.S.-Mexico border wall during his first term.
'It was meant more as a joke, but the more I thought of it, the more I liked it,' he said.
Trump also used the trip to threaten to arrest New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Noem's predecessor Alejandro Mayorkas, call his own predecessor Joe Biden 'a son of a b***h', suggest deporting American citizens who commit crimes and hint, even more darkly, that the 'Alligator Alcatraz' could be the first of many more detention centres.
'We'd like to see them in many states,' the president mused. 'And at some point, they might morph into a system.'
The detention center has been equally well received by conservatives on Fox News, with Laura Ingraham telling DeSantis during a recent interview that she 'loved' the idea and panellists discussing it on the same network's Gutfeld! chat show saying they too relished the prospect.
Comedian Joe Devito was particularly enthusiastic, telling guest host Tyrus, an ex-wrestler, that it amounted to ' The Shawshank Redemption meets Jurassic Park ' and going on to suggest that the government go further and staff it with grizzly bears and an 'evil squid' to frisk inmates with its tentacles.
The figure appeared to be a reference to the total number of Latinos in the United States, chiming with U.S. Census data for the demographic, inviting an angry response from commentators on X.
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Reuters
36 minutes ago
- Reuters
US fiscal folly could create big, beautiful debt spiral
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. tax and spending bill passed on July 3 is expected to add more than $3 trillion to the country's deficit over the next decade. If the current debt trajectory continues unabated, it could set off a slow motion debt spiral that could endanger the Federal Reserve's independence. The sobering long-term debt projections of the Congressional Budget Office, opens new tab may actually understate the likely impact on U.S. debt-to-GDP levels of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill". The CBO based its estimate on the assumption that temporary increases in government spending and tax cuts will sunset at a projected date. But this new budget bill, which extended previous tax cuts and other measures, has shown that this sunset often never arrives. Thus, the long-term projections in the U.S. Treasury's annual financial report, opens new tab may be more realistic since they assume the current rate of government spending will continue indefinitely. In the Treasury forecast, the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to increase to over 200% in 2050 compared to the CBO's estimate of around 145%. Scarier still, the Treasury forecasts that the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio will reach 535% by 2100 if current spending plans continue. Proponents of tax cuts argue that they boost GDP growth and thus will slow the rise in debt-to-GDP, but the CBO estimates that the House Bill will only increase real GDP by an average of 0.5%, opens new tab over 10 years or 0.04% per year relative to the CBO's January 2025 projections. The Tax Foundation estimates that the Senate Bill will boost GDP growth by 1.2%, opens new tab in the 'long run'. That hardly makes a difference compared to an expected debt increase totalling almost 10% of GDP. If today's debt dynamics persist, the risk premiums in the U.S. Treasury market will almost certainly climb over the long run. Economists Martin Ademmer and Jamie Rush, opens new tab have analysed the drivers of 10-year Treasury real yields since 1970. They concluded that investors typically demand more risk compensation as the U.S. deficit increases, especially when there is competition from an ample supply of safe assets globally. Thus, Treasury yields rise. Their analysis concludes that these two factors together lifted the natural 10-year real yield for Treasuries by 1.3 percentage points between 2005 and 2023. If the deficit projections for the next decade are realized, this trend should continue. With all this in mind, it was notable that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week, opens new tab that he would not boost long-term Treasury bond sales given today's high interest rates. Since the pandemic, the average duration of U.S. government debt has declined significantly as the Treasury has favoured bills over longer-term instruments in an effort to keep interest expenses under control. One reading of Bessent's comments is that the Treasury is concerned about the country's ability to continue servicing its long-term debts if it borrows at today's elevated yields, a message that could push Treasuries' risk premium even higher, making long-term borrowing even less tenable. This reminds me of a similar episode in which a heavily indebted country faced a sudden spike in its already large deficit. As investors lost trust in the country's ability to pay back its debt, long-term yields rose, which in turn forced the government to issue debt at shorter and shorter maturities. This signalled to the market that the government would struggle to pay the existing debt, and this pushed long-term government bond yields even higher. The country's debt entered a doom loop. The country in question: Greece after the 2009 financial crisis. To be clear, I do not expect the U.S. to experience a similar implosion. There are crucial differences between the U.S. and Greece that should prevent this, not least the ability of the U.S. to devalue the dollar and inflate away some of its debt. Greece, as a euro zone member, had no such flexibility. But the new U.S. budget increases the possibility that the U.S. could face a similar debt drama, only in slow motion. If long-term Treasury yields remain higher for longer, the Treasury is apt to continue shortening the duration of its debt. This, in turn, could create a vicious cycle by making government interest expenses more volatile, further imperiling U.S. fiscal health and making longer-term debt even riskier. There appear to be three main off ramps for the U.S. One: politicians could become fiscally prudent and significantly reduce the deficit to a sustainable level. This seems unlikely given both parties' recent track records. Two: the Treasury could impose capital controls to artificially increase demand for Treasuries. As I have written previously, this move would likely spell the end of the dollar as the main global reserve currency. Three: the Fed could create artificial demand for long-term Treasuries by scooping up bonds itself – that is, restarting quantitative easing – to keep yields low. The danger with this form of QE, however, is that it represents fiscal dominance, where the central bank loses control over monetary policy because of imprudent government actions. How such a development would play out is impossible to predict, especially when it involves a global superpower, but it's fair to assume the Fed won't want to find out. (The views expressed here are those of Joachim Klement, an investment strategist at Panmure Liberum, the UK's largest independent investment bank). Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI),, opens new tab your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn,, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Bad Bunny calls out Donald Trump in 'NUEVAYoL' music video
"I'm in the United States. I know America is the whole continent," the faux Trump continues. "I want to say that this country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans ..." Recently, due to Trump's ongoing immigration crackdown, Southern California has been the epicenter of dozens of ICE raids since early June. On July 3, Congress passed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which will allocate $45 billion for immigration detention centers as well as about $30 billion to hire more ICE personnel, for transportation costs and to maintain ICE facilities, according to NPR. Bad Bunny launches a political statement, making fun of President Donald Trump on the 4th of July. ???????? — Bad Bunny HQ (@BBPRTV) July 4, 2025 Bad Bunny features Puerto Rico flag across Statue of Liberty in music video It wouldn't be a Bad Bunny music video without giving a nod to his Puerto Rican heritage. In the music video, the 31-year-old also features a powerful image of the Puerto Rican flag against the Statue of Liberty's forehead. Bad Bunny ended the "NUEVAYoL" music video with another message: "Juntos Somos Mas Fuertes" ("Together We Are Stronger"). Bad Bunny's latest album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" pays tribute to his Boricua roots and sees the singer incorporate traditional genres such as Plena, salsa and jibaro into his signature Latin urbano sound. The 17-track LP features collaborations with Puerto Rican acts including RaiNao, Omar Courtz and Dei V, and Los Pleneros de la Cresta. What happens now? Bad Bunny's residency is supercharging Puerto Rico's tourism. In honor of the album's release, Bad Bunny is hosting an estimated 600,000 concertgoers at his sold-out No Me Quiero Ir De Aqui concert residency, which will take place at the Coliseo de Puerto from July 11 to Sept. 14. "The idea for the residency was always there, for as long as I can remember," Bad Bunny told Variety in an interview. "But it became difficult to ignore, the more time passed. I'll admit, it was hard to complete my last tour, because all I wanted to do was move into this chapter." Watch Bad Bunny's new music video for 'NUEVAYoL': In May, Bad Bunny announced a world tour for "DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS" - but to many fans' surprise, it excluded the U.S. The tour will kick off Nov. 21 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before making its way through Latin America through late February. Bad Bunny will also perform in Sydney, Australia, for the first time, before a performance in Tokyo in March. He'll be hitting up Europe in June and July, visiting London, Marseille, Stockholm and Milan. Bad Bunny's residency is supercharging Puerto Rico's tourism With an estimated 600,000 attendees throughout the residency, the concert series is sparking what Glorianna Yamin, vice president of marketing at Discover Puerto Rico, called a "peak period for tourism." Halfway around the world, Hawaii's high levels of tourism are negatively impacting the islands. From overcrowded trails to traffic congestion, the Pacific islands have been actively seeking visitors who want to create a deeper connection with Hawaii. Puerto Rico, for its part, is paying attention. "It's definitely a change for the industry," Yamin told USA TODAY. "The entire tourism industry is getting ready." It's not just about the crowds. Discover Puerto Rico (DPR), the island's destination marketing organization, is using this moment to highlight the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism. Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico: Expect higher prices for flights, hotels this summer More: Bad Bunny fans won't want to leave Puerto Rico after visiting these 17 places "We are making sure that we're educating those visitors; first, so they behave as they should, but also so they're intrigued about our culture, our music, our history, our gastronomy ... things Bad Bunny touches on in his album and already has momentum with," Yamin said. Contributing: Edward Segarra, Josh Rivera, USA TODAY
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘It's offensive': voices from Iran as fans face 2026 World Cup travel ban
'It's offensive for any football fan to be prevented from participating in the World Cup, not just Iranians,' Ali Rezaei of Tehran's Borna News Agency says. In March, the national team became the second to qualify for the 2026 World Cup that will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. In June, Donald Trump authorised the dropping of bombs on Iran and hit the country with a travel ban. As things stand, while the national team will be able to enter the US next summer, fans – and perhaps media – will not. Residents of Tehran and other cities may have had enough to deal with of late, but still, being barred from entry stings, even if Iranians have long found it difficult to get into the US. 'If the US government has issues with the Iranian regime for any reason, it should not result in discrimination against Iranian citizens,' Behnam Jafarzadeh, a writer for leading sports site Varzesh3, says. 'If someone hasn't committed any illegal activity, why should they be punished? It's not just about the World Cup – the policy needs to change in general.' What can Iran do? 'Boycotting the World Cup is not a solution,' Siavash Pakdaman, a Tehran-based fan, says. 'Refusing to play on US soil would be a dangerous precedent – any host country could start excluding teams it has issues with. Just as the Iranian delegation can and should be present at the United Nations in the US, the Iranian team should also play on American soil if the draw requires it – without relocation.' There is a feeling that staying away would not make much difference anyway. 'It would only deprive the national team of the opportunity to participate in a major tournament and would ultimately hurt Iran more,' Jafarzadeh says. 'It might even be welcomed by some American officials. It could make headlines briefly, but once the tournament starts, it will be forgotten and will have achieved nothing.' Questions have been asked – including in Iran, whose supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has long banned competing against Israeli athletes – about what the international reaction would have been if Qatar had banned citizens from certain nations from attending the 2022 World Cup. 'If the USA makes it difficult for football fans to attend, then changing the host country is necessary,' Rezaei says. 'Doing so would harm the USA's reputation, not the World Cup's. If strict entry rules remain, we should focus on protecting football. This is supposed to be a celebration of sport.' Jafarzadeh is not confident that the competition could be taken away from the busiest of the three hosts. 'It is not a challenge Fifa and [its president Gianni] Infantino would want to take on.' Perhaps there is another way. 'Fifa should use all of its influence to push for a suspension of this policy at least during the World Cup.' Fifa may find it easier to place Iran in Canada or Mexico and hope that Iran don't make it to the latter stages, when there would have to be a game in the US. 'Playing in Mexico or Canada is not a real solution – it just ignores the actual problem,' Rezaei says. Many expect it to happen anyway. 'Canada has a large Iranian immigrant population, although some of them are opponents of the Iranian regime and the national team can't count on their support,' Jafarzadeh says. 'Mexico is probably a more attractive and less controversial destination for the team.' That is another question. The Iranian-American community is more than a million strong yet many of these headed west before, or in response to, the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion 'It seems that many Iranians who oppose the government consider the national team to be a representation of the regime – which I believe is wrong,' Pakdaman says. 'And since a larger number of these opponents live in the US, the team may face pressure from the audience during the matches. Of course, I hope my analysis is wrong.' Jafarzadeh, who went to the World Cups in Russia and Qatar and would love to go to the United States, says: 'Some see the team as one that represents the regime, and this sentiment is even stronger among Iranians living abroad. Of course, the war with Israel has stirred feelings of patriotism among many Iranians, but I'm not sure if this will translate into support for the national team. We'll have to wait and see how things unfold in the coming months.' That there is time is perhaps a small reason for optimism that things could change. Iran is one of 19 countries subject to a full or partial US entry ban. Several of the others retain hope of qualifying for the first 48-team World Cup, including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Venezuela and Haiti. 'Considering that there is almost a year left until the 2026 World Cup, there is a possibility that the situation may stabilise,' says Isa Azimi, a columnist and translator, regarding Iran's situation, though he is not confident. 'Despite claims of separating politics from football, Fifa has shown that it is not particularly independent when facing major political powers.' Especially when Infantino appears to prize his close relationship with Trump. 'If Fifa considers itself a global body independent of governments, it must stand up to such laws and not allow politics to contaminate the world of sports,' Pakdaman says. 'Of course, we all know that, unfortunately, such contamination exists – especially when one side of the issue is a superpower that answers to no one. It is Fifa's duty to treat all member countries equally, but will that actually happen?'
