Last month, President Donald Trump attended the opening of Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center, led by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. The facility has been designed to hold illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, costing an estimated $450 million annually.
Critics have warned that the flood-prone wetland site will fail to provide adequate humanitarian conditions.
State Sen. Shevrin Jones (D) said, “They are locking people in a swamp in extreme heat with no clear plan for humane conditions.”
Trump stated, “It might be as good as the real Alcatraz.” He added, “It’s a little controversial, but I couldn’t care less.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “Welcome to Alligator Alcatraz, I like that name by the way.” Environmental groups have sued to block the center, citing violations and risks to wildlife habitats.
Democrats and advocates have criticized the project for threatening local ecosystems. Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples said, “This site is more than 96% wetlands, surrounded by the Big Cypress National Preserve, and is habitat for the endangered Florida panther and other iconic species.”
Samples added, “This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect.”
DeSantis and Florida Republicans have defended the center as key to Trump’s tough immigration stance, arguing his policies have deterred illegal crossings. They warned migrants of Florida’s extreme weather risks.
Miami Herald: ‘Locking People in a Swamp’: Trump Addresses Detention Center Outrage
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