A new detention center, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," is being planned for Southwest Florida. Located on an old, abandoned airfield in the middle of the Everglades, the facility aims to house undocumented immigrants as local jails reach capacity.
WINK News reporter Haley Zarcone spoke with an immigration attorney who said his clients are running out of places to be detained. He explained that facilities like Krome in Miami are full, and jails in Southwest Florida can no longer accommodate the overflow.
James Uthmeier, Florida's Attorney General, described the location as an "old, virtually abandoned airport facility right in the middle of the Everglades." He said, "Florida has been leading on immigration enforcement, supporting the Trump administration and ICE's efforts to detain and deport criminal aliens. The governor tasked state leaders to identify places for new temporary detention facilities. I think this is the best one, as I call it, alligator Alcatraz."
However, Collier County officials, neighbors, and immigration lawyers have voiced their concerns about the facility's suitability.
Immigration attorney Efren Aroch questioned if "Alligator Alcatraz" is the right solution.
"Is there a need for adequate housing for these people? Yes, there is that. Will the alligator Alcatraz be the correct solution? I don't think it would, for a lot of reasons," said Aroch.
He cited concerns about the heat, stating, "Humane reasons, the fact that we live in Florida in the middle of summer."
Garrett Stuart, an Ochopee homeowner, raised practical concerns, asking, "Where's their poop gonna go? Where's their pee going to go?"
A Collier County commissioner expressed worries about hurricanes, asking, "What happens when we get the storm across there? Does that area just flood a lot...it's in the middle of the year, and frankly, Miami Dade will close that airport frequently during severe weather because of the absence of resources on site."
The Florida Department of Corrections will manage the facility, and Collier County will have no jurisdiction. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency to expedite the development of "Alligator Alcatraz," with negotiations ongoing with Miami-Dade County, which owns the land.
Aroch suggested alternative solutions, saying, "Maybe partnering with different other county facilities within the state that obviously have detention centers that are capable of housing these individuals how they need to be housed appropriately, and maybe expanding, expanding it that way, and housing them in different other facilities, instead of just creating this facility in the middle of nowhere."
Despite the concerns, Florida state leaders seem intent on moving forward quickly, aiming for the facility to be operational by July 1.
Gov. Ron DeSantis' office provided WINK News with a waste management plan overview to address neighbors' concerns.