Trump and DeSantis Unveil “Alligator Alcatraz” Immigration Detention Facility in Florida Everglades

by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday joined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to unveil a massive new immigration detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” a remote compound deep in the Everglades designed to house thousands of illegal immigrants as part of the administration’s expanded deportation agenda.

The 5,000-bed facility–officially located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, about 36 miles southwest of Miami–was completed in just eight days after DeSantis invoked emergency powers. Surrounded by miles of treacherous swamp and teeming with gators, crocodiles, and invasive pythons, the center earned its nickname due to its foreboding, near-inescapable location. “We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swamp land, and the only way out is really deportation,” Trump said during a roundtable event on-site.

Governor DeSantis praised the unprecedented cooperation between Florida and federal agencies, highlighting that the state accounts for roughly 20% of nationwide immigration arrests. “This is what you need,” Trump told reporters, calling the facility a model for other red states. DeSantis echoed the sentiment: “Don’t let Florida be the only state. We’ve got other red states that should be doing this just as much as Florida.”

The complex includes a hurricane-resistant, 158,000-square-foot aluminum structure with housing for 3,000 detainees, on-site staff accommodations, courtrooms, medical and legal facilities, and more than 200 security cameras. Florida officials confirmed an additional 2,000-bed site is operational at Camp Blanding, and DeSantis revealed plans to deputize National Guardsmen as immigration judges to expedite deportation rulings–reducing case time from three years to three days.

During the event, Trump also revisited his early-May promise to reopen and expand the original Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay, calling it a symbol of strength against what he described as “the Violence and Criminality” enabled by President Joe Biden’s border policies. “I saw a picture of ALCATRAZ looking so foreboding, and I said, ‘We’re going to look into renovating and rebuilding the famous ALCATRAZ Prison,'” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The Everglades location of the new Florida facility–also nicknamed “Gator Gitmo”–has sparked controversy among environmental groups. A lawsuit filed against the state claims the project threatens endangered species and should have required a federal environmental review. Florida officials countered that the airport already hosts tens of thousands of flights annually and that the detention center adds only minimal new impact.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, former ICE chief Tom Homan, Trump adviser Stephen Miller, and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) were among the officials attending the opening.

Despite Democratic backlash–Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) called the facility “a disgusting excuse for public policy”–Trump defended the move, noting that detention capacity is key to enforcing deportations. “We’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator if they escape from prison,” he joked, mimicking a zigzag motion. “Don’t run in a straight line. You know what? Their chances go up about 1%.”

ICE is currently detaining a record 56,397 individuals, but administration officials say the goal is to scale to 100,000 beds nationwide. With Florida leading the charge, the White House hopes other conservative states will follow suit in constructing similar high-capacity detention sites.

Latest Worthy News