Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Monday confirmed the launch of an ambitious and controversial project to combat illegal immigration: a massive new detention centre ominously nicknamed ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ Set in the treacherous wetlands of the Everglades, the centre is designed with nature as its first line of defence—surrounded by alligators and pythons, escape is expected to be near impossible.
Approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the facility is part of a broader plan to build multiple immigration detention centres across the state. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the federal government is officially backing Florida’s initiative, with support coming via FEMA’s shelter and services program.
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
We are working on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations. Alligator Alcatraz will expand facilities and bed space in just days, thanks to our partnership with Florida.https://t.co/NWdAnEUC0h
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 24, 2025
“We are working on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations,” the DHS posted on X (formerly Twitter) on June 23. “Alligator Alcatraz will expand facilities and bed space in just days, thanks to our partnership with Florida.”
Facility in the Everglades to Hold 5,000 Detainees
Uthmeier revealed that the site—an abandoned airfield deep within the Everglades—is already under construction and could begin receiving detainees as early as next month. “There’s really nowhere to go. If you’re housed there, if you’re detained there, there’s no way in, no way out,” he said in a conversation with conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
Approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the facility is part of a broader plan to build multiple immigration detention centres across the state. (Screenshot)
The facility is expected to house up to 5,000 individuals and will serve as what Uthmeier described as the “one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.” The project is said to closely align with Trump’s earlier vision of using natural barriers—such as water-filled trenches stocked with reptiles—to enforce immigration control.
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DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that some temporary tents are expected to be in place by July. She also noted that while the centre’s operations could cost Florida roughly $450 million annually, the state would receive partial reimbursement through FEMA.
FEMA Program to Cover Costs, Controversy Brews
Secretary Noem noted that the funding will be drawn “in large part” from FEMA’s shelter and services program, originally designed to help cities and organisations manage migrants released at the US-Mexico border.
While critics have raised concerns about the ethics and symbolism of using harsh terrain to confine migrants, Florida officials maintain that the measure is both cost-effective and aligned with federal immigration enforcement objectives.
Construction began Monday, and if timelines are met, the state could operationalise one of the largest and most extreme immigration detention centres in recent US history—reinforcing Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on border control since returning to office in January.
