Florida’s bold new migrant detention facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” is rising from an abandoned runway deep in Everglades National Park. This isn’t your typical government project—it’s a swampy fortress surrounded by alligators and pythons, designed to back President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, as Newsweek reports. The left’s already crying “ecological disaster,” but Florida’s not slowing down.
At Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a 39-square-mile idle strip west of Miami, the state is building a facility to house up to 1,000 migrants. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is spearheading the effort, with construction kicking off on Monday. The site’s natural barriers make it a conservative’s dream for secure detention.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management, under Director Kevin Guthrie, plans to secure land rights for $20 million. They’ve notified Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Collier County Commissioner Rick LoCastro of the deal. Federal funds from FEMA’s shelter program will cover most costs, with Florida fronting the bill and seeking reimbursement.
Why this spot? It’s got an 11,000-foot runway perfect for large aircraft and a 30-square-mile radius of abandoned tarmac. Uthmeier calls it “ideal” for its natural perimeter -- swamps teeming with wildlife that deter escape. Progressive critics clutch their pearls, but Florida’s using nature’s security system.
“It’s got a 30-square-mile radius on an abandoned airport that’s already there -- no longer in use by the public,” Uthmeier told NewsNation. He’s right: the site’s isolation is a feature, not a bug. Escapees won’t get far with alligators as neighbors.
The facility could be operational in 30 to 60 days, per Uthmeier’s team. That’s lightning-fast for government work, showing Florida’s serious about tackling illegal immigration. While the left dawdles, the state’s delivering results.
Miami-Dade’s Mayor Levine Cava isn’t thrilled, demanding “due diligence” before construction ramps up. “The impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating,” she wrote to Guthrie. Her concern sounds noble, but it’s a tired tactic to stall conservative priorities.
Environmentalists and immigrant rights groups are piling on, claiming the facility threatens wildlife and lacks oversight. Their outrage ignores the site’s disuse -- an abandoned runway isn’t exactly a thriving habitat. The criticism feels more like political posturing than genuine concern.
A senior homeland security official pegs the facility’s annual cost at $450 million. Florida is covering startup expenses, with FEMA expected to foot the long-term bill. It’s a hefty price tag, but supporters argue it’s a small price for border security.
The Department of Homeland Security posted on X, praising the project’s efficiency: “Alligator Alcatraz will expand facilities and bed space in just days.” Their enthusiasm is refreshing in a bureaucracy often paralyzed by red tape. Florida’s partnership is making Trump’s vision a reality.
Uthmeier’s spokesperson confirmed to the New York Times that construction is underway. The state’s moving at warp speed to address the migrant crisis. Meanwhile, critics are stuck in the mud, whining about process.
“We’re going to need some new detention sites,” Uthmeier told NewsNation, citing Florida’s packed jails from immigration arrests. He’s not wrong -- overflowing facilities demand action, not handwringing. Alligator Alcatraz is a practical solution.
Newsweek reached out to Uthmeier’s office for more details, but the state’s focused on building, not debating. The facility’s remote location and natural defenses make it a logistical win. Critics calling it inhumane are just recycling old talking points.
Levine Cava’s call for “considerable review” reeks of progressive foot-dragging. The Everglades won’t collapse because of one repurposed runway. Her letter reads like a playbook for delaying Trump’s agenda.
Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz is a game-changer for immigration enforcement, blending innovation with nature’s barriers. While detractors moan about wildlife and oversight, the state is forging ahead with a facility that could redefine detention. Conservatives will cheer this as a win for law and order.
