Edith Hejberg
Early reports from inside are grim, maggot-infested food, no water for bathing, constant bright lights, and dozens of people forced to share just three exposed toilets
Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” Florida’s new migrant detention facility opened July 1 and will cost taxpayers a staggering $450 million a year. Critics warn the figure could rise even higher as operating expenses mount.
A Remote, Alligator-Infested Site
Built on the old Dade-Collier Training and Transport Airport deep in the Everglades, the center is surrounded by waters teeming with alligators and pythons, making escape virtually impossible.
Thrown Up in Just Eight Days
The sprawling tent camp was erected in little more than a week, bypassing some environmental permits.
Conservationists fear the rushed construction could harm the fragile Everglades ecosystem.
Detainee Horror Stories Emerge
Early reports from inside are grim, maggot-infested food, no water for bathing, constant bright lights, and dozens of people forced to share just three exposed toilets. Many say they haven’t seen sunlight in days.
Triple the Cost of State Prisons
Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith says housing detainees here costs over $90,000 per person per year, more than triple the cost of incarceration in a regular prison.
Political Firestorm
Democrats, initially denied entry, toured the site and branded it an “internment camp.” Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz called for it to be “shut the hell down,” describing severe overcrowding.
Defended by DeSantis and the White House
Governor Ron DeSantis insists it’s a “professional processing center” designed to deport undocumented migrants quickly.
The White House calls it “state-of-the-art” and vital to President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Hurricane Season Threat
With most structures made of tents, critics warn the facility could be devastated by a major storm.
DeSantis brushes off the concern, saying no place in Florida is fully hurricane-proof.
