Florida: Immigrant Detention Center “Alligator Alcatraz” in Everglades

The state of Florida has begun construction of a new immigrant detention center in the Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The location, an abandoned airfield in the Everglades National Park, will be able to accommodate at least 1,000 immigrants.

State Attorney General James Atwater stated that the 77,000-acre area offers a cost-effective opportunity to build the center, as large investments are not required for the perimeter. According to the official, the center will begin receiving immigrants within 30 to 60 days of the start of construction.

The operation of the center is expected to cost approximately $450 million annually. Trisha McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the state could seek federal funding.

Governor Ron DeSantis has stated that he is working closely with the Trump administration on its mass deportation program for immigrants. Alex Howard, a former DHS official, commented that turning the Everglades into an immigrant detention center is a “grotesque mix of inhumanity and political theater.”

The Friends of the Everglades organization expressed concerns about the risk to the region's ecosystem.

Source: ΑΠΕ - ΜΠΕ