Florida to Build 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Center for Migrants in Everglades

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Immigrant advocates said the move creates a whole new form of detention outside the scope of the federal government.

Posted by retort at 09:13 AM | 35 COMMENTS | permalink

'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center draws environmental concerns trib.al/rSAq7cu

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-- Orlando Sentinel (@orlandosentinel.com) Jun 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM

Comments

Concentration Camps.

Brought to you by the Republican Party.

#1 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-24 09:39 AM

Florida must be desperate for money

and besides... Alaska would be better.

#2 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2025-06-24 10:25 AM

Trump and Desantis should kiss some Putin ass and get a Siberian location for it. These sadistic Republicans wish they could use ICE to round up Democrats and I won't really be surprised when those sick bastards actually do it!

#3 | Posted by danni at 2025-06-24 12:00 PM

Someone somewhere will make a lot of money on this. They saw how much it costs the government to send folks to Gitmo, and have promised a 20% reduction in cost...

#4 | Posted by catdog at 2025-06-24 12:06 PM

it's next to the everglades.

"you people" just want to conjure up the image of the deep 'glades" and let the other stooges think the criminals will be walking and working in the gator swamps.

#5 | Posted by shrimptacodan at 2025-06-24 03:24 PM

I like the name of the detention center.

#6 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-06-24 04:08 PM

"1,000+ beds."

Why are we giving violent criminals free room and board at taxpayer expense?

What's gained by sending them from the USA to Florida, USA?

Republicans?

#7 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-24 04:12 PM

I like the name of the detention center.

#6 | Posted by BellRinger

You pretend to be amused by the entire fascist deconstruction of the american experiment.

#8 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2025-06-24 05:37 PM

He's not pretending.

He would give every liberal a free helicopter ride, if Trump says it's okay.

That's just how much he loves his Country and his President.

#9 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-06-24 05:42 PM

@#1 ... Concentration Camps.

Brought to you by the Republican Party. ...

It is starting to look that way.

More from the cited article ...

... Florida's attorney general, James Uthmeier, a Trump ally who has pushed to build the detention center in the Everglades, has said the state will not need to invest much in security because the area is surrounded by dangerous wildlife, including alligators and pythons. A spokesperson for the attorney general said work on the new facility started on Monday morning. ...

So, Florida seems to be losing its appeal a a tourist destination going forward? My guess would be, "no."

On the other hand, Florida's Governor may be using this action to appeal to MAGA for a 2028 run ...

My question, at this point, will the MAGA folk see through this political stunt, or will they seem to buy it, hook, line and sinker?

#10 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-24 09:25 PM

I approve as much cheaper than flying them to Guantanamo Bay NAS Cuba.

#11 | Posted by MSgt at 2025-06-24 10:40 PM

Uthmeier is one unbelievably corrupt POS.It's been one string after another of utter crap in this state with DeSantis and Uthmeier. Uthmeier's currently under civil contempt charges for ignoring judge's orders.

#12 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-24 10:42 PM

Gonna fcck up the Everglades - which we've spent billions trying to restore. Then again, this is the administration that wanted to put golf courses in our state parks, along with highrise rental units and pickle ball courts.

#13 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-24 10:43 PM

" Gonna fcck up the Everglades - which we've spent billions trying to restore. Then again, this is the administration that wanted to put golf courses in our state parks, along with highrise rental units and pickle ball courts.

#13 | POSTED BY YAV AT 2025-06-24 10:43 PM | REPLY | FLAG:"

From what I read it's a pre-existing g facility that just needs to be updated.

#14 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-06-24 11:11 PM

Anyone who has been out to the Everglades at night will tell you the mosquitoes are absolutely intollerable. And the snakes and gators will get into the area of the prison and occasionally into the buildings and cells; bars don't stop snakes. The choice of locations is very obviously an attempt to make's "March of Tearse it as miserable for detainees as possible. Trump's mass deportations and the breaking up of families, much more will go down in history as a rival to Trumo's hero Andrew Jackson's "March of Tears", The intentional cruelty is ubdeniable in Trump/Desantis/Bondi/Noems' Aligator Alkatraz! Donald Trump's sadistic tendencies are on clear display in these mass deportations and the way they are being carried out. The hideous story of all of it is being reported around the world! I think I am going to go buy a small American flag to display on my balcony upside down! Not very much of a protest but at least it will be something!

#15 | Posted by danni at 2025-06-24 11:19 PM

Nope.
That's putting trowels of makeup and gallons of lipstick on a pig to call it that.
The only thing being used was the single runway, and that only for "touch and go" training.
The facility was shut down before it was completed way back in the early '70's due to the impact on the environment.
It never was occupied or completed.
Nor will anything except that runway and the vacant land, be used.

#16 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-24 11:21 PM

@#14 ... From what I read it's a pre-existing g facility that just needs to be updated. ...

Got a link?

I ask, knowing that your current, and its other current apparent incarnations, seem to be here more to disrupt than to contribute.

#17 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-24 11:44 PM

More from the cited article ...

...The remote facility, composed of large tents, and other planned facilities will cost the state around $450 million a year to run, but Florida can request some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security.

Florida's attorney general, James Uthmeier, a Trump ally who has pushed to build the detention center in the Everglades, has said the state will not need to invest much in security because the area is surrounded by dangerous wildlife, including alligators and pythons. A spokesperson for the attorney general said work on the new facility started on Monday morning. ...

#18 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-24 11:46 PM

@#18 ... The remote facility, composed of large tents, and other planned facilities will cost the state around $450 million a year to run, but Florida can request some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security. ...

As an aside...

So this is where FEMA may be used in the Trump administration?

#19 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-24 11:48 PM

Gonna fcck up the Everglades - which we've spent billions trying to restore.
~ LyinYav
Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport
www.cnn.com

Oh please year end, 2018, the airport had 14,468 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 39 per day.

Its a good location for pilots to practice ... In fact, reading about it, I would like to do this approach for practice.

Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT)
www.miami-airport.com

You people are pathetic.

#20 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-06-25 12:24 AM

@#20 ... You people are pathetic. ...

To my eyes, it looks like your current alias' comment is the pathetic aspect of this conversation.

It seems to neglect a direct tie-in to the topic instead, apparently trying to deflect to airport construction?

What's up with that?

#21 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-06-25 12:36 AM

The moron known as "oneironaut" calls me a liar but can't get the basics right, and can't figure out what the impact of all the waste that will be produced by well over a thousand people living there will be on the surrounding area.

There are no hangers, no buildings, nothing that is suitable for use of any kind except a 2,000 sq ft building where, at most, 4 people may be present at a time and a runway. It's primary use is for "touch-and-go" practice. That's it.

I bet you can find all that out on your own, can't you?
Will you then admit I'm correct and you're way overstating just so you can pretend you know something?

#22 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-25 09:10 AM

Calling it Alligator Alcatraz is good, but I suggest we shorten it just a little to Alligatraz.

#23 | Posted by HanoverFist at 2025-06-25 09:37 AM

Nice.
take it down to "Algatraz"?.

#24 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-25 10:21 AM

#14 Been around forever, tent cities aka the Krome Avenue detention camps. But they were HUGE secrets.

#25 | Posted by gracieamazed at 2025-06-25 10:56 AM

#25 - did you have a point? Let me help:
Why do we need a new facility?
Why do we need so many?
Detention camps are all the rage now. Why is that?

#26 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-25 12:26 PM

#26 Did you have a point? Let me help:

Why can't you admit illegal immigrants today far outnumber those in the 80's? Would you rather they be housed like it was 1980 again?
Why were the tent cities/Krome detention built?
Why were illegal immigrants sent there?

#27 | Posted by gracieamazed at 2025-06-25 12:45 PM

It's just what Florida taxpayers need.

#28 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-06-25 02:26 PM

Nope.You missed the entire reason and the point.
At least you tried.

#29 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-25 06:21 PM

Flagging my post as funny is an immature and imbecilic passive aggressive act.
Your answer in #27 matched that level of intellectual deep thought.

#30 | Posted by YAV at 2025-06-25 06:24 PM

I FF because I know you RUN to the flagged comments page to see who flags your posts. It's cute.

#31 | Posted by gracieamazed at 2025-06-25 06:45 PM

"Why can't you admit illegal immigrants today far outnumber those in the 80's?"

I can try...

What percentage of the total population was illegal immigrants in the 80s?