The construction of a new migrant detention center, referred to as "Alligator Alcatraz," is currently underway in a largely deserted airport located within Florida's Everglades, a designated Unesco World Heritage Site. While the site is often thought of for its natural beauty, the initiative, proposed by local lawmakers to bolster US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, has sparked widespread controversy.
Heavy-duty trucks laden with tents and construction materials are flowing into the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, situated around 43 miles from Miami's center. This unconventional site is meant to accommodate up to 1,000 detainees by July or August. Florida's Republican Attorney General, James Uthmeier, has downplayed security concerns about the facility's location, stating that escaping detainees would find little more than "alligators and pythons" in the area.
The shift to convert the airport into the detention facility follows an executive order by Governor Ron DeSantis, granting emergency powers to address the increasing flow of undocumented migrants. DeSantis has hinted that similar projects may emerge, citing another location at Camp Blanding over 300 miles north.
Detractors of the "Alligator Alcatraz" project include local environmental advocates and human rights organizations. Betty Osceola, associated with the Miccosukee Native American community, has voiced concerns about the environmental repercussions and the living conditions detainees may face at the facility. Echoing her sentiments, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida criticized the center as a manifestation of a punitive immigration system instead of a fair processing mechanism.
Despite these concerns, Florida officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have described the establishment of the detention center as a “cost-effective” strategy that would accelerate Trump’s deportation agenda. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has reached out to state officials for clarification on the project, emphasizing the importance of addressing environmental impacts and funding issues.
As communities in Florida anticipate further developments, they remain apprehensive about the implications for both human rights and ecological preservation associated with the implementation of "Alligator Alcatraz".
Heavy-duty trucks laden with tents and construction materials are flowing into the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, situated around 43 miles from Miami's center. This unconventional site is meant to accommodate up to 1,000 detainees by July or August. Florida's Republican Attorney General, James Uthmeier, has downplayed security concerns about the facility's location, stating that escaping detainees would find little more than "alligators and pythons" in the area.
The shift to convert the airport into the detention facility follows an executive order by Governor Ron DeSantis, granting emergency powers to address the increasing flow of undocumented migrants. DeSantis has hinted that similar projects may emerge, citing another location at Camp Blanding over 300 miles north.
Detractors of the "Alligator Alcatraz" project include local environmental advocates and human rights organizations. Betty Osceola, associated with the Miccosukee Native American community, has voiced concerns about the environmental repercussions and the living conditions detainees may face at the facility. Echoing her sentiments, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida criticized the center as a manifestation of a punitive immigration system instead of a fair processing mechanism.
Despite these concerns, Florida officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have described the establishment of the detention center as a “cost-effective” strategy that would accelerate Trump’s deportation agenda. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has reached out to state officials for clarification on the project, emphasizing the importance of addressing environmental impacts and funding issues.
As communities in Florida anticipate further developments, they remain apprehensive about the implications for both human rights and ecological preservation associated with the implementation of "Alligator Alcatraz".
