The site, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, can hold 500 detainees and may expand to 3,000|The White House
President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis opened a new immigrant detention center Tuesday in the Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The facility, expected to cost $450 million a year to operate, was approved by the Trump administration and expedited by DeSantis. It drew immediate backlash over humanitarian and environmental concerns.
Facility details
The site, constructed in eight days on wetlands, can accommodate 500 detainees and is designed to expand to 3,000. ICE officials say people will be detained for no more than 14 days.
Trump called it a model for other states, praising its deterrent value. DeSantis framed the project as part of Florida’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
Protest and lawsuit
Environmental groups filed a lawsuit, warning that the facility poses a threat to endangered species and the Everglades. About 100 protesters gathered at the launch.
Critics blasted the use of harsh conditions and hurricane-prone land as inhumane.