The South Florida Detention Facility, or “Alligator Alcatraz,” is Governor Ron DeSantis’ newest idea for taking care of immigrants in America. The facility is located in the Florida Everglades and serves as essentially a concentration camp for people waiting to be deported from the country. Since its announcement, there has been much controversy surrounding the morality and correctness of holding these people in detention, and personally, I think it is appalling.
“Alligator Alcatraz” was announced in June 2025 and began construction in August after being authorized by DeSantis. It is Florida’s answer to Trump’s immigration policy, as mass amounts of people are being forced to leave the country, and need a place to go. More accurately, it is a place for immigrant-hating government officials to exercise their authority over others.
“We were able to, under Kevin Guthrie’s leadership, within record time, create a facility that could support intake, processing and eventually deporting these illegal aliens. And that’s important to deport from Florida and obviously from the United States as well,” said DeSantis.
The facility has already faced a lot of backlash from people who believe this goes against the civil rights of those living in America. This country was meant to be a place of freedom and peace for anyone who needs it, but recently, it seems that all anyone cares about is forcing people out. The living conditions and treatment of those living in “Alligator Alcatraz” have been described as inhumane. People are locked up in fences and cages without knowing when they will leave or why they are even there. They face extreme temperatures, swarms of insects, and limited access to medical attention.
Possibly the worst feature of the facility is the location, which was completely purposeful. While the Florida Everglades are a beautiful place in nature, it is also a treacherous environment, home to a number of dangerous animals. The facility uses this to its advantage, making sure their “prisoners” will not escape out of fear. “Alligator Alcatraz” earned its name because of the surrounding alligator population, making escape unlikely.
President Donald Trump has publicly reacted to Alligator Alcatraz, giving it his approval and laughing at the situation the people inside must endure. He has supported the use of wildlife to scare people out of escaping, making jokes about teaching people to run away from gators.
“Snakes are fast but alligators — we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator. Don’t run in a straight line. Run like this,” said Trump during a visit to the facility.
The people being kept in the facility are not the only people being negatively affected. It was built on tribal land that is the rightful home to several Native American tribes, such as the Miccosukees. Their hunting grounds and ceremonial sites are now the grounds for the oppression of innocent people, and many are concerned about the effects “Alligator Alcatraz” will have on the Everglades ecosystem.
“When all this happened, you know, we felt alone. We felt isolated like our homelands were being trampled on,” said Curtis Osceola, senior executive policy adviser to the Miccosukee Tribe Chairman.
The Miccosukee Tribe has taken legal action against the agencies responsible for the facility, stating that it violates environmental preservation laws. They have found some success, as federal judge Kathleen Williams has agreed with the tribe’s concerns and ordered a pause on operations. Sources say the facility is already being emptied out, and the state of Florida may even lose several millions of dollars if it were to shut down completely.