Florida Tribes, Seminole Nation Unite to Oppose 'Alligator Alcatraz' Construction

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is advancing construction of a large immigration detention facility, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," on land within the Big Cypress National Preserve, despite strong opposition from Native American tribes and environmental advocates. The site, located on ecologically sensitive and culturally significant tribal lands, is home to the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes, who argue that the detention center desecrates sacred ancestral grounds and threatens the Everglades ecosystem. Tribal leaders, including Seminole Nation cultural specialist Jake Tiger, have drawn historic parallels between the detention center and past injustices such as the Indian Removal Act, framing the project as a form of colonial oppression. Florida officials have promoted the location for its natural barriers like alligators and pythons to reduce perimeter security costs, a characterization that tribal representatives reject, emphasizing the land's cultural, spiritual, and ecological importance. Environmental groups warn that the project undermines America's largest ecosystem restoration effort, which safeguards endangered species and provides critical resources to Floridians. Native American voices are united in demanding respect for Indigenous homelands and urging the state to halt construction and reconsider the impacts on tribal communities and the environment.