Trump Administration Funds Florida 'Alligator Alcatraz' Migrant Detention Facility

The Trump administration has approved and expedited funding to convert an abandoned airfield in Florida's Everglades, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' into a large migrant detention facility aimed at housing up to 5,000 detainees. This project, supported by Florida GOP Attorney General James Uthmeier and Governor Ron DeSantis, leverages the natural security of the swampy location, including alligators and pythons, to deter escapes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the facility will be financed largely through FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program, reallocating funds previously used under the Biden administration for migrant housing in hotels. The administration emphasizes this as a cost-effective, rapid response to increasing deportations and detention needs, with goals to arrest and remove thousands of illegal immigrants daily. Local officials like Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava have expressed concerns over the rushed timeline and the need for more thorough evaluation. The facility will include large tents and existing infrastructure, aiming to address the current shortage of detention beds and reinforce immigration enforcement efforts.