First Cuban mayor of Miami speaks out against Alligator Alcatraz: "I am an immigrant"

The first Cuban mayor of Miami, Xavier Suárez, has decided not to remain silent. In statements made to the public broadcaster WLRN, the veteran politician and former commissioner of Miami-Dade County expressed his strong opposition to the immigrant detention center built in the Everglades, nicknamed the "Alcatraz of the Alligators" or "Alligator Alcatraz."

“I have always been pro-immigrant. I am an immigrant, how could I not be?”, Suárez said in a firm and emotional tone. Born in Cuba in 1949 and arriving in the United States with his family after the rise of Castro's regime, Suárez knows firsthand what it means to start anew in foreign lands, driven by authoritarianism and in search of freedom.

From his experience as a local leader and lawyer, the former mayor warned that the detention project is problematic not only from a humanitarian perspective but also from an ecological viewpoint: “It saddens me to see that people are treated with the same rhetoric they use. Furthermore, that facility poses an environmental risk in an ecosystem as fragile as the Everglades.”

Recently inaugurated by President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, the center has faced harsh criticism. Built in record time, just eight days, on an abandoned runway in the middle of the Big Cypress National Preserve, the immigration detention facility is enclosed by over 8,500 meters of barbed wire and surrounded by alligators, pythons, and a plague of mosquitoes that even repellent cannot deter.

Reporters like Alexis Boentes and Joel Franco documented in video the hell that is experienced even during brief visits: “Be afraid of the mosquitoes, not the alligators,” one of them said. The influencer Benny Johnson, a Trump supporter, summed it up like this: “What a hell!”.

The first images from the inside show cages covered by tarps amidst the heat and humidity. According to activists, the place is nothing more than a “dehumanizing detention camp” disguised as a migration solution.

A Cuban behind bars reports: "This is hell."

The reports about the conditions in Alligator Alcatraz are not abstract. Recently, Cuban reggaeton artist Leamsy “La Figura”, detained under ICE custody, recounted in a phone call: "I have gone four days without bathing. We are in a cage with the lights on all the time, and the mosquitoes seem like elephants." He also pointed out the extreme cold, lack of hygiene, and mistreatment by the staff.

His case, shared on social media and by Cuban influencers, has raised alarms about the conditions in which hundreds of migrants are kept, without access to natural light or medical care. "Everyone was shaking, screaming like crazy," he said.

Trump mocks, Suárez speaks out

During the inaugural ceremony, Trump seized the opportunity to mock the situation: “We’re going to teach them how to escape from an alligator... run in a zigzag,” he said with laughter. He also stated that the center will house “some of the most ruthless migrants on the planet,” reinforcing the fear narrative that drives his agenda.

The president was accompanied by the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who revealed that the center will be partially funded with FEMA funds, originally allocated for natural disasters. The estimated budget exceeds 450 million dollars annually.

Human rights organizations, environmentalists, and community members are coming together to demand the closure of the project. Legal complaints have already been filed claiming the lack of environmental impact studies, and protests outside the center have gathered dozens of people holding signs demanding humane treatment for migrants.

Frequently Asked Questions about the "Alligator Alcatraz" Detention Center in Florida