California Blocks Federal Use of Closed Prisons for Immigrant Detention

President Donald Trump recently inaugurated a controversial migrant detention center named 'Alligator Alcatraz' in the Florida Everglades, a facility guarded by alligators and pythons and designed to house up to 5,000 migrants, primarily labeled as 'criminal aliens' by Florida officials. The center, costing $450 million annually, has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists and human rights groups who decry it as cruel, while Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defend it as a strong deterrent against illegal immigration. During the opening, Trump and DeSantis showcased a coordinated effort to toughen immigration enforcement, including plans to utilize the Florida National Guard as immigration judges to expedite deportations. In contrast, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to prevent closed state prisons from being repurposed as immigrant detention facilities, signaling a divergent approach to immigration detention between states. Critics of 'Alligator Alcatraz' compare its harsh conditions to historically brutal prisons and decry the inhumane treatment of migrants, while the Trump administration's actions at the facility have included controversial proposals including targeting media outlets and former officials. The facility and related policies epitomize the Trump administration's aggressive and highly politicized immigration enforcement strategy, which has sparked national debate over human rights and state-level immigration responses.