Trump tours new ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ migrant facility in Florida Everglades.

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Trump Unveils ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Migrant Facility in the Florida Everglades.

President Donald Trump has opened a new migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” This facility can hold up to 3,000 detainees and reflects Trump's strict approach to immigration enforcement.

During a tour, Trump called the center a place for “some of the most vicious people on the planet” and claimed the alligators and other wildlife would deter escapes. “You don’t have to pay them as much,” he joked about the predators, adding, “But I wouldn’t want to run through the Everglades for long.”

The new detention center features chain-link enclosures, medical facilities, and large air-conditioned tents. A second complex, planned near Jacksonville, is expected to hold another 2,000 detainees.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Everglades facility would serve as a model for future centres, designed to fast-track hearings and deportations. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced plans to deputize National Guard legal officers to act as immigration judges.

The project has already drawn backlash from environmental groups and residents. Activists warn that construction in the Everglades — home to endangered species such as the Florida panther and the West Indian manatee — could reverse decades of restoration work.

Miccosukee tribe member Betty Osceola, who lives near the site, expressed concern that the “temporary” compound could become permanent. “I have serious concerns about the environmental damage,” she said.

Trump defended the facility, arguing it could help deter illegal migration. “They can have their hearings, get due process, and then be flown back home,” he said.

The site is expected to cost $450 million annually, with most of the funding coming from FEMA’s shelter program budget.

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