Florida officials are fast-tracking a remote ICE detention center in the Everglades, aiming to detain criminal illegal immigrants with minimal risk of escape. The project, backed by the Trump administration, may later serve as a high-security federal prison.
Key Facts:
- Florida is building a 1,000-bed detention center for ICE detainees in the Everglades’ Miami-Dade/Collier Training Facility.
- Florida AG James Uthmeier dubbed it “Alligator Alcatraz” due to its natural isolation and predators.
- Construction began Monday and is expected to take less than two months to complete.
- The Trump administration approved the facility Tuesday afternoon as part of a broader deportation push.
- The center will cost $450 million annually to operate, with some costs potentially reimbursed by FEMA.
The Rest of The Story:
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the state has chosen a remote, 30-square-mile area in the Everglades to host a new detention center.
The site, a largely unused airport facility, is being repurposed to hold up to 1,000 criminal illegal immigrants in an off-the-grid facility.
Uthmeier dubbed the site “Alligator Alcatraz,” pointing out that the surrounding wilderness of alligators and pythons will act as a natural barrier to escape.
“This is the best one,” Uthmeier said in a promotional video on X.
“If people get out, there’s not that much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.”
Florida state officials began building the site on Monday, which will be completed in less than two months.
Alligator Alcatraz: the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. pic.twitter.com/96um2IXE7U
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 19, 2025
The Trump administration on Tuesday afternoon announced that it approved construction of the off-the-grid facility.
The center will reportedly cost $450 million a year to run, but some of those costs could be covered by FEMA.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem hailed the effort as a “cost-effective and innovative” solution to the growing need for detention capacity.
Commentary:
This move by Florida is more than just clever—it’s strategic.
Placing a detention facility deep in the Everglades is a masterstroke of both logistics and deterrence.
With natural threats like swamps, snakes, and alligators, the location practically polices itself.
It dramatically lowers the need for expensive security infrastructure.
For years, Americans have watched illegal immigration spiral out of control.
Now, under the Trump administration’s second term, there’s finally action that matches rhetoric.
Detaining criminal aliens far from urban areas ensures safety for local communities and reinforces the rule of law.
The economic implications are also positive.
Building and staffing this center will create hundreds of jobs for Floridians, especially in construction, logistics, and security.
This development could become a long-term federal resource—not just for immigration but also for high-risk federal inmates, just as Trump previously suggested with his “bring back Alcatraz” plan.
Once mass deportation goals are met, the facility could easily pivot into a permanent high-security prison.
With border czar Tom Homan pushing for 3,000 arrests a day, detention capacity must match the mission—and Florida is leading the way.
Critics will likely object to the price tag or remote location, but the risk of escape is practically zero.
That peace of mind alone justifies the investment.
Plus, with FEMA likely offsetting some costs, the burden on taxpayers will be reduced.
There’s also a deeper message: the era of catch-and-release is over.
This facility shows a serious commitment to holding those who break our laws accountable while protecting the rights of legal immigrants and American citizens alike.
The Bottom Line:
Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center is a bold and practical step in securing the border and addressing illegal immigration.
It turns the Everglades into a high-security holding zone while also promising economic and federal law enforcement benefits.
If successful, it may be a model for future detention or federal prison facilities across the country.
The project sends a strong message: enforcement is back, and the days of lax immigration policy are over.
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