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CTV News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Lawmakers visit ‘Alligator Alcatraz,' but some wonder how much they'll get to see
Workers sit alongside trailers as work progresses on a new migrant detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility in the Florida Everglades, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ochopee, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) OCHOPEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers took a state-arranged tour of the new Everglades immigration detention centre on Saturday after some were blocked earlier from viewing the remote facility that officials have dubbed ' Alligator Alcatraz.' Democratic and Republican state legislators and members of Congress were heading into the facility Saturday morning. So many politicians turned up that they were split into multiple groups to tour the 3,000-bed detention centre that the state rapidly built on an isolated airstrip surrounded by swampland. Gov. Ron DeSantis and fellow Republicans have touted the makeshift detention centre — an agglomeration of tents, trailers and temporary buildings constructed in a matter of days — as an efficient and get-tough response to President Donald Trump's call for mass deportations. The first detainees arrived July 3, after Trump toured and praised the facility. Described as temporary, the detention centre is meant to help the Republican president's administration reach its goal of boosting the United States' migrant detention capacity from 41,000 people to at least 100,000. The Florida facility's remote location and its name — a nod to the notorious Alcatraz prison that once housed federal inmates in California — are meant to underscore a message of deterring illegal immigration. Ahead of the facility's opening, state officials said detainees would have access to medical care, consistent air conditioning, a recreation yard, attorneys and clergy members. But detainees and their relatives and advocates have told The Associated Press that conditions are awful, with worm-infested food, toilets overflowing onto floors, mosquitoes buzzing around the fenced bunks, and air conditioners that sometimes shut off in the oppressive South Florida summer heat. One man told his wife that detainees go days without getting showers. Florida Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Stephanie Hartman called those descriptions 'completely false,' saying detainees always get three meals a day, unlimited drinking water, showers and other necessities. 'The facility meets all required standards and is in good working order,' she said. Five Democratic state lawmakers tried to visit the site when it opened July 3 but said they were denied access. The state subsequently arranged Saturday's tour. The lawmakers have sued over the denial, saying that DeSantis' administration is impeding lawmakers' oversight authority. A DeSantis spokesperson has called the lawsuit 'dumb.' As Democratic officials headed into the facility, they said they expected to be given a sanitized and limited view. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz told reporters the lawmakers came anyway because they wanted to ask questions and get a sense of the structure and conditions. The Associated Press
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mamdani hits back at Trump's deportation threat: ‘We will not accept this intimidation'
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party's nominee for New York City mayor, has hit back at President Donald Trump for threatening to deport him. The president issued the warning at a press conference in Ochopee, Florida, on Tuesday after his visit to the state's new 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention center. Trump was asked by a reporter about Mamdani's pledge to stand up to raids on alleged undocumented migrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 'Well, then we'll have to arrest him,' Trump said. 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation. 'We send him money. We send him all the things that he needs to run a government… We're going to be watching that very carefully and a lot of people are saying he is here illegally, you know, we're going to look at everything and ideally he's going to turn out to be much less than a communist. But right now he's a communist. That's not a socialist.' Mamdani, who considers himself a democratic socialist, responded with a strongly-worded statement in which he said: 'The president of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city. 'His statements don't just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation. 'At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that [incumbent NYC mayor] Eric Adams echoes this president's division, distraction and hate. Voters will resoundingly reject it in November.' Mamdani, 33, was born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents but was raised in New York and became a naturalized citizen in 2018. He has served as a New York State Assembly member representing a district of Queens since 2021. New York Governor Kathy Hochul was among those leaping to his defense, posting on X: 'I don't care if you're the President of the United States, if you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbors, you're picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers – starting with me.' Mamdani was only the second public figure Trump threatened with deportation on Tuesday, having already said he would 'look into' the citizenship status of Elon Musk, the world's richest man, his erstwhile friend, adviser and campaign donor. Since his surprise upset win over front-runner Andrew Cuomo in last week's primary, opponents have raced to attack Mamdani, with Trump calling him 'a 100% Communist Lunatic' on Truth Social. The president then told Fox News's Maria Bartiromo on Sunday: 'If he does get in, I'm going to be president, and he's going to have to do the right thing or they're not getting any money, he's got to do the right thing.' Mamdani responded to that on NBC's Meet the Press by saying: 'I have already had to start to get used to, get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I'm from, who I am, ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I'm fighting for, and I'm fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower, that he has since then betrayed.' Other attacks on the candidate have included Mayor Adams accusing him of being born with a silver spoon in his mouth and Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles posting on X: 'Bye bye, little muhammad! If you lied on your N-400 naturalization forms, you're going home.' Mamdani and Adams – the latter running as an independent – are likely to find themselves in a three-horse race for City Hall come November alongside Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime group. However, Cuomo has signalled that he could also run again, also as an independent.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Breaking down claim of incinerators at 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center
In early July 2025, a claim (archived) circulated online that incinerators had been or would be installed at "Alligator Alcatraz," a new migrant detention center in Ochopee, Florida. One TikTok user said: "Just in case you don't know what's going on, a girl on TikTok came on here and said that one of her neighbors received a government contract asking them to install a bunch of incinerators at Alligator Alcatraz. They're installing incinerators at Alligator Alcatraz." The claim also circulated on Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived), Threads (archived), X (archived) and Bluesky (archived). Snopes readers wrote in asking if the claim was true. However, we found no evidence that anyone involved in the construction of "Alligator Alcatraz" had installed incinerators at the time of this writing. A TikTok user originally made the claim in a video that has since disappeared from the platform. We found no credible news outlets or officials reporting the claim as true (archived, archived, archived, archived). Though a state official and local reporting confirmed construction involved private businesses, we found no proof that officials or businesses contracted incinerators for the "Alligator Alcatraz" site. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said of the claim: Beyond disgusting: From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to implying incinerators are being used at Alligator Alcatraz for nefarious purposes, the vilification of ICE must stop. This type of rhetoric directly contributes to ICE law enforcement facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults against them. Our brave law enforcement should be thanked for risking their lives everyday to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens including gang members, murderers, and ped*ph*les. We also reached out to the White House, the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Emergency Management and eight named private contractors on the detention center project to ask whether they had installed or planned to install incinerators at the new detention center and, if so, for what purpose. We await replies to our queries. Snopes viewed a reposting of an early version of the claim on TikTok, which showed a clip of user @travyn overlaid with the text: A few days ago a neighbor told me that his cousin was offered a contracting job to install "a ton" of incinerators into Alligator Alcatraz. I made a video establishing it as an alleged rumor. After listening to Karoline Leavitt talk about it today, I can't consider it alleged anymore. We reached out to the user over email to ask for contact details for the neighbor or their cousin or any other information about the alleged contract and await a reply. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a June 30, 2025, news conference that President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and DeSantis, along with other officials, would visit "Alligator Alcatraz" on July 1. Leavitt said, "The facility is in the heart of the Everglades and will be informally known as 'Alligator Alcatraz.' There's only one road leading in and the only way out is a one-way flight. It is isolated and surrounded by dangerous wildlife in unforgiving terrain." She praised the facility as "an efficient and low-cost way to help carry out the largest mass-deportation campaign in American history." Leavitt did not go into further detail about the features of the detention center and did not mention incinerators at the facility during the news conference. Following Trump's tour of "Alligator Alcatraz" on July 1, news outlets and editorial photo agencies such as Getty Images shared images from inside the facility. We did not find images showing incinerators, though these would likely be placed outside. During the July 1 visit, Trump, Noem, DeSantis and Kevin Guthrie, executive director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, also spoke to the media. This news conference did not include mention of incinerators but did confirm that authorities had partnered with private businesses to build the facility. Guthrie said, "There are over 13 different vendors that came together to get this solved in eight days. Truly, a whole lot of private-sector partnership to get that done." Gurthrie did not say exactly what the 13 vendors provided. Reporting by the Miami Herald identified eight of the private vendors: CDR Maguire, Doodie Calls, GardaWorlds, Garner Environmental Services, Gothams, Granny's Alliance, Longview International Technological Solutions and SLSCO. Snopes reached out to the companies to ask whether they had supplied or contracted incinerators for "Alligator Alcatraz" and await replies to our queries. 272 Alligator Alcatraz Photos & High Res Pictures - Getty Images. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025. "alligator Alcatraz" AND Incinerator - Google Search. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025. "alligator Alcatraz" AND Incinerator - Search News. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025. "alligator Alcatraz" AND Incinerator - Yahoo Search Results. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025. "alligator Alcatraz" AND Incinerator at DuckDuckGo. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025. Blair, Anthony. First Photos from inside "Alligator Alcatraz" Reveal Bleak Digs for up to 5,000 Migrants. 1 Jul. 2025, Glorioso, Alexandra, et al. "Contractors Building Alligator Alcatraz Have Donated Money to Florida GOP, DeSantis." Miami Herald, 3 Jul. 2025, LiveNOW from FOX. "President Trump Participates in 'Alligator Alcatraz' Roundtable Discussion | LiveNOW from FOX." YouTube, 1 Jul. 2025, The White House. "Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, June 30, 2025." YouTube, 30 Jun. 2025, Tisdale, Jennifer. "Rumors Are Circulating Online About Incinerators Being Installed at 'Alligator Alcatraz.'" Distractify, 2 Jul. 2025, @trianamusic. Instagram, 2 Jul. 2025, July 3, 2025: This report was updated to include a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Democrats who haven't endorsed Zohran Mamdani offer muted defense as Trump targets him
Democrats who have not endorsed Zohran Mamdani offered cautioned defenses as President Donald Trump threatens to deport the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. Trump hinted at the need to deport Mamdani during a press conference in Ochopee, Florida after he visited the state's 'Alligator Alcatraz,' which will serve as a detention center for migrants. 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation,' Trump said at the time. Mamdani became the latest target of the president after state assemblyman in New York's state legislature pulled off an upset victory to become the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. The self-identified democratic socialist beat former governor Andrew Cuomo - who, despite resigning from office in disgrace after reports of sexual misconduct, received the support of much of the state's Democratic establishment. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, endorsed Cuomo but defended Mamdani from the attack to The Independent. 'That means they will have to revoke his citizenship,' Espaillat. 'I think that's totally unconstitutional.' Espaillat is no stranger to Republican anti-immigrant xenophobia. In March, when he delivered the Spanish response to Trump's joint address to Congress, the National Republican Congressional Committee tweeted that 'Democrats literally chose an illegal immigrant to give their response to President Trump's address.' Espaillat's family came to the United States from the Dominican Republic, but overstayed a tourist visa, a common form of illegal immigration. Espaillat later became a U.S. citizen. Mamdani was born in Uganda and emigrated to the United States as a child. He became a citizen in 2018. Nevertheless, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles called for his deportation and called him 'Little Muhammad.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has yet to endorse Mamdani, said to The Independent 'That's disgusting' last week during a press conference. Surprisingly, Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina endorsed Cuomo. But The Independent asked Clyburn about Trump's comments, Clyburn simply laughed. 'I don't add credbility to stuff he says,' he said. When asked about the fact he endorsed Cuomo, Clyburn told The Independent, 'So? What's that got to do with it?' Many Democrats continue to have reservations about Mamdani. Some supporters of Israel in the party, criticized him for not denouncing the phrase 'Globalize the Intifada' because he said it had different meanings for different groups of people. Mamdani said in a podcast interview with The Bulwark that phrase can be used to incite violence but also to advocate for the rights of Palestinians against the Israeli government. But Rep. Dan Goldman of New York, a major supporter of Israel who met with Mamdani last week, criticized the remarks by Trump. 'How can you deport a US citizen?' Goldman said. So far, few lawmakers have endorsed him. But one of the few members of Congress who endorsed him, Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is Jewish, defended him. 'Zohran Mamdani is a citizen of the United States,' Nadler told The Independent. 'There is no grounds to deport him whatsoever. The president is out of his mind.'
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Huge Setback for Trump With Alligator Alcatraz Already Flooding
Florida's much-hyped ICE detention center cannot even keep the rain out. Videos from the so-called Alligator Alcatraz, which President Donald Trump visited on Tuesday to mark its opening, show that the center had standing water on its first day of operation. Florida officials claim the facility, situated in the middle of the muggy, naturally flooded Everglades, is sturdy enough to withstand winds of a Category 2 hurricane, despite its exterior being a tent. Those claims are sure to be scrutinized after a local news reporter, Jason Delgado of Spectrum News 13, captured footage of water seeping into the tent, onto electrical cables, and around flagpoles. There was no hurricane or severe thunderstorm brewing outside—just typical summer showers that much of the state experiences daily this time of year. RainDrop's website estimated that about a quarter of an inch of rain fell on Tuesday at the city of Ochopee, which is closest to the tent. The rain could be heard clearly in Delgado's videos, and the ceiling appeared to rattle with each drop that struck it. The Florida Division of Emergency Management told Spectrum that it has taken steps to address the flooding that was experienced on Tuesday. 'Overnight, the vendors went back and tightened any seams at the base of the structures that allowed water intrusion during the heavy storm, which was minimal,' said the spokeswoman, Stephanie Hartman. The facility, which bizarrely has its own merch sold by Florida Republicans, has been slammed as 'dehumanizing' and not safe for detainees. Migrants are expected only to be housed temporarily at the site before being removed from the country, says Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who has been described as the architect of Trump's migrant crackdown, scoffed at suggestions that the massive tent is dehumanizing. Despite it being filled with bunk beds that are separated by internal fences, in the middle of a literal swamp, he said it is not at all overkill for people who entered the United States illegally in search of a better life. 'What's 'dehumanizing' is when American citizens are stripped of their rights and their liberties by the invasion of illegal aliens,' he told Fox News on Tuesday. 'What's 'dehumanizing' is when Democrats let illegal alien rapists into the country to attack our children. That is 'dehumanizing.''
