Florida Opens 5,000-Bed 'Alligator Alcatraz' Center

Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center opens at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Everglades, with President Donald Trump visiting for the official ceremony. The facility can house up to 5,000 undocumented immigrants and is promoted by Governor Ron DeSantis as highly secure due to its remote, alligator-populated location. The project, initiated just the previous week, faces strong opposition from environmental groups, Native American leaders, and human rights advocates, who have filed a federal lawsuit alleging violations of environmental and land-use laws. Despite ongoing protests and legal action, Florida officials state the site will open as planned. Most of the $450 million annual operating cost is expected to be reimbursed by FEMA, with oversight by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and federal partners. The opening is portrayed by the Trump administration as a major step in immigration enforcement, while opponents criticize it as inhumane and environmentally harmful.