Florida AG touts 'Alligator Alcatraz' as spot for temporary deportation facility

FLORIDA — On Thursday Attorney General James Uthmeier said he hopes to build "Alligator Alcatraz" to house migrants in Florida.

Attorney General Uthmeier/X

Uthmeier said they have identified an old abandoned airport in the Everglades as a location to build a temporary facility for migrants set to be deported.

@AGJamesUthmeier

Uthmeier called Alligator Alcatraz "the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump's mass deportation agenda" in a video posted to X.

The airport is actually known as Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, it's call letters being TNT.

It's currently operated by the Miami Dade Aviation Department, which manages four other airports in the area, including Miami International – the third largest in the US for international passenger traffic.

According to MIA's website, the airport's primary purpose is to provide a precision-instrument landing and training facility in South Florida for commercial pilots, private training, and a small number of military touch-and-goes.

"Commercial jet aircraft are the largest class of airplanes that use the airport on a regular basis. The current annual service volume (ASV) for the airport is roughly 175,500 annual operations. Landing is on a PPR (Prior Permission Required) basis for all aircraft with user fees or for aircraft over 12,500 pounds. Military operations are common at Dade-Collier. There are no aircraft based at the airport." Miami international's website says.

Miami international says the airport was constructed in the early 1970's as a training airport and was originally known as the Everglades Jetport.

The initial runway at the site was planned as the replacement runway for Miami International Airport to serve South Florida, but environmental concerns in the late 1970s to early 1980s stopped further development of the facility.

The surrounding area is managed and operated by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.

The area is surrounded by the Everglades, which he said could hold over 1,000 beds.

"Within just 30 to 60 days after we begin construction, it could be up and running," Uthmeier said.