Trump Visits Controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” Migrant Detention Center
Florida’s new migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” grabbed national attention after President Donald Trump visited the facility this week.
Dangerous Location in the Everglades
The camp sits deep in the Everglades, surrounded by swamps filled with snakes, alligators, and crocodiles. This natural barrier creates a perilous environment for detainees, making escape nearly impossible.
Trump Defends Harsh Conditions
On July 1, Trump addressed the facility’s tough reality. “Snakes are fast but alligators—we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator,” he said, demonstrating a zigzag running motion. His advice served as a stark warning to migrants.
Though he admitted the camp was “a little controversial,” Trump shrugged off criticism. He even compared the center to the infamous Alcatraz prison, which he has proposed reopening.
Trump toured the site with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. All proudly defended the camp, despite growing public outrage comparing it to a Nazi-style internment center.
Local and Indigenous Opposition
Protests erupted outside the camp’s location at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. Locals condemned the facility as inhumane.
Indigenous leaders also objected strongly. The detention center sits on ancestral lands belonging to Native American tribes with centuries-old ties to the region.
Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress stressed, “Big Cypress is the Tribe’s traditional homelands. The landscape has protected the Miccosukee and Seminole people for generations.”
Wildlife Not Effective Security
Nearby resident Garrett Stuart described the area as rich in wildlife but criticized the idea that alligators and pythons could serve as guards. “Those animals are afraid of humans,” he told the AP.
Right-wing commentator Benny Johnson supported Trump, calling the site “Jurassic Park” and joking that once inside, “you don’t come out… if you do, the alligators get you.” Johnson wore “official Alligator Alcatraz merch,” funded by Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier, celebrating the center as part of Trump’s mass deportation plan.
Political Drama and Jabs
Trump praised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for fast-tracking the center’s opening in just eight days. “Ron worked beautifully with Homeland Security,” Trump said.
However, Trump also took a sharp jab at former President Joe Biden, calling him a “son of a b***h” and blaming him for supposedly wanting Trump confined there.
Facility Scale and Costs
“Alligator Alcatraz” plans to initially house 3,000 migrants, with expansion to 5,000 in the future. The state-run complex, built on a former airfield, uses the deadly surrounding swamps as a natural deterrent.
At an estimated $450 million per year, the detention center already ignites fierce debate about U.S. immigration policy and human rights concerns.
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