© Andrew West / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Ochopee, FL) — The legend of Alcatraz endures. Any desolate jail cell, or hard-to-escape-from prison — with hardened guards walking the beat — immediately brings to mind the since-shuttered prison in San Francisco Bay. These days, the notorious lockup is a museum.
President Trump briefly flirted with the idea of re-opening Alcatraz, in order to house illegal migrants facing deportation, but many have said the cost and other challenges make it realistic. Alcatraz — with its strong surrounding currents, and shark-laden waters — was considered “inescapable.” Now, a new “Alcatraz” has emerged — albeit with alligators, pythons, humidity, and swamps.
As July got underway, President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured what was known as the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. It’s now a detention center for migrants facing deportation. The isolated 39-square mile airstrip is surrounded by wetlands — located within the Big Cypress National Preserve — right next to Everglades National Park. And, the swampy terrain is filled with big American gators, slithering pythons, and any number of dangerous challenges — should anyone try to escape. Hence the nickname “Alligator Alcatraz”.
Dominic Carter🎙️– Democrats blast “Alligator Alcatraz”
The concept is simple in its layout: set up a detention center within the swamp, and thwart attempted escape. For sure, Homeland Security and ICE may have wished they had a few ‘gators surrounding the detention center in Newark where some detainees escaped recently. But there’s plenty of controversy, as well. Environmentalist activists argue that “Alligator Alcatraz” puts the delicate Everglades ecosystem at risk — something Florida Governor Ron DeSantis denies.
Others, including Democrats, have complained about the conditions migrants will face while staying at “Alligator Alcatraz.” The facilities are “spartan” with little area for storage of personal effects, or really any sort of privacy a la individual cells. In photos, the Florida detention center resembles a tent set up with chain link fencing and cots. That’s led to claims the center is akin to a modern “concentration camp,” while others have expressed concerns that during hurricane season the entire setup is at risk.
President Trump, who campaigned on carrying out a mass deportation campaign, has maintained a lighthearted tone while enforcing the law. He joked any migrants who try to escape “Alligator Alcatraz” should avoid running in a straight line — alluding to the long held belief alligators can be thrown off by fleeing in a zig-zag pattern.
Cats & Cosby🎙️– Why Democrats Hate “Alligator Alcatraz”
Online, people are having fun with the whole concept of alligators and snakes serving as de facto enforcers for ICE. But keeping the nation safe from the threat of illegal immigration is no laughing matter, and President Trump has said other states are looking to setup a similar facility.
Trump toured the facility a day prior to its official opening. Homeland Security buses and vans were seen driving toward the detention facility Thursday. And during the overnight hours, work crews replaced a sign that said “Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport” with one that simply reads, “Alligator Alcatraz”. Food trucks and other official vehicles have also been spotted at the Everglades facility.
Still, there’s ongoing concern about the conditions migrants will face in the humid, buggy, gator-filled swamp. Nery Lopes of the Detention Watch Network describes it as a “trap” that could become deadly in the event of a hurricane. But the Florida Department of Emergency Management says a hurricane plan is in place — although recent video showing flooding from a passing rainstorm. There’s also a storm system being tracked by the National Hurricane Center in Miami ahead of the weekend.
Cats & Cosby🎙️– DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
Florida officials are undeterred by the controversy. There are plans in place to set up a similar facility in the northern part of the state — southwest of Jacksonville — known as Camp Blanding. Governor Ron DeSantis says the facility will hold up to 2,000 people awaiting deportation. Construction is expected to begin shortly after the July 4th holiday. “Alligator Alcatraz” is considered the model.
