A bus from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrived on Thursday morning at the new detention center for immigrants in the Florida Everglades, officially marking the arrival of the first group of detainees to what the government has dubbed Alligator Alcatraz.
This event -confirmed by local news outlets- suggests that, despite previous official announcements, the first transfers of prisoners took place today and not on Wednesday, as initially planned.
The Florida Attorney General, James Uthmeier, had stated: “Alligator Alcatraz will register hundreds of illegal immigrants tonight,” referring to Wednesday.
However, it was just this Thursday that the arrival was confirmed.
Nevertheless, at the last hour yesterday, some vans and vehicles also entered the premises.
At the entrance of the center, the authorities have placed a sign that reads “Alligator Alcatraz,” the nickname given to this facility by the government.
A Prison in the Middle of the Swamp: Design, Logistics, and Symbolism
The center is located on a remote airstrip converted in the heart of the Everglades, surrounded by alligators and swamps.
According to Governor Ron DeSantis, the construction was completed in eight days, spanning 16 kilometers, and includes:
Initial capacity for 3,000 detainees, with an expansion expected to 5,000.
More than 8,500 meters of barbed wire.
- More than 200 security cameras.
-400 security agents.
The facility was built by the state government in coordination with the federal government's 287(g) program, which allows state agents to interrogate and detain immigrants in custody for their eventual deportation by ICE.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, visited the center on Tuesday and described it as a model to be replicated nationwide.
Trump declared: “Soon, this facility will house the most threatening migrants, some of the cruelest people on the planet,” and described the name of the site as “appropriate”: “That’s not a place I would want to go hiking to anytime soon.”
He also stated, “The only solution, really, is deportation.”
Trump even hinted that members of the National Guard could serve as immigration judges to expedite expulsions.
Criticism for inhumane conditions and environmental damage
The project has been strongly criticized by various civil, environmental and tribal organizations.
During the inauguration of the center, hundreds of protesters gathered outside with signs demanding humane treatment for immigrants and denouncing the ecological impact in an area that is part of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Among the most critical voices is that of James Osceola, leader of the Miccosukee tribe, who warned: “For us, our medicine is in this land, and we feel it has protected us, so we must protect it.”
He also expressed concern about the frequent flooding, especially following the rains on Tuesday that leaked water into one of the tents.
Despite these warnings, state spokesperson Stephanie Hartman assured that the contractors "tightened the joints at the base of the structures" to prevent future leaks, and that the complex was reinforced to withstand category 2 hurricanes.
A political strategy with deterrent and revenue-generating purposes
Federal and state officials have promoted the center as a tool for deterring immigration.
By comparing it to the federal prison of Alcatraz, they aim to send a clear message: the conditions will be harsh and the goal is to persuade undocumented migrants to leave "voluntarily."
This narrative has been accompanied by a media campaign and fundraising efforts by the Florida Republican Party, which is marketing t-shirts and promotional products featuring the name of the center.
A meme has even circulated showing the complex surrounded by barbed wire, "guarded" by alligators wearing ICE hats.
What comes next?
DHS and ICE are still managing the logistical details of the detainee transfer, but the state of Florida has confirmed that the infrastructure is already ready to operate.
In the coming days, the center is expected to increase its operations from between 500 and 1,000 beds to reach 5,000 by early July.
Meanwhile, criticisms are piling up. Concerns regarding the legality of using soldiers as judges, the suitability of the land to accommodate human beings, and the adverse climatic and ecological conditions continue to be topics of debate.
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