‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Immigration Facility Draws National Scrutiny, Local Outrage

A newly constructed immigration detention center in the heart of the Florida Everglades — informally dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” — is facing growing criticism from immigrant rights groups, environmentalists, and local political leaders.

The facility, located on a 39-square-mile parcel near the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, was rapidly converted from a defunct airfield into a high-capacity detention site designed to hold up to 5,000 migrants awaiting deportation. Its remote location and natural surroundings have earned it the ominous nickname, which evokes comparisons to the infamous island prison of Alcatraz.

State officials and contractors completed the construction in less than two weeks, drawing concern over the speed and secrecy of the project. The site was reportedly seized by the state and developed as part of ongoing efforts to support the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

What has alarmed many observers is not just the facility’s purpose or rapid construction, but the nature of its surroundings. Nestled deep in the Everglades, the detention center is encircled by swampland teeming with alligators and invasive Burmese pythons — a fact officials have joked about, calling the wildlife part of the “perimeter security.”

“It’s not just a prison — it’s a message,” said Danny Arencibia, a local Hispanic political advocate. “As we celebrate our Declaration of Independence proclaiming certain unalienable rights, among these life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it is deeply misguided to forget where that independence originated. Our nation was born out of a fight against persecution; a fight for freedom, justice, and the right to build a better life. Those who are in support of Alligator Alcatraz have perhaps forgotten what it means to be an American.”

Civil rights groups are now raising questions about the legality of the facility’s construction, as well as concerns about conditions inside the detention center. Advocates say that detainees held in such isolated locations may face limited access to legal counsel, family visitation, and oversight.

Despite mounting criticism, state officials have defended the project as a necessary component of border enforcement. They maintain that the location reduces escape risk and alleviates overcrowding in other facilities across the state.

As the controversy grows, civil rights attorneys, environmental watchdogs, and elected leaders are calling for federal oversight and transparency around the facility’s operations. For now, the swamps of South Florida hold more than wildlife — they now house a flashpoint in the nation’s ongoing immigration debate.