Florida: 'Crocodile Alcatraz' Immigrant Detention Center in the Everglades

A new immigrant detention center, dubbed 'Crocodile Alcatraz,' is expected to open in early July in the Florida Everglades. Its construction has raised concerns about immigrant rights and sparked reactions from environmental organizations.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier referred to the center as 'Crocodile Alcatraz,' emphasizing that its location in the Everglades swamps, with wildlife such as crocodiles and pythons, constitutes a 'natural fortification.' The center is located on an abandoned airfield spanning 101 square kilometers, with a runway of 3,353 meters.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the plan as 'cost-effective and innovative.' According to Uthmeier, the federal government has approved the creation of 5,000 additional beds in the detention center, with funding partly from FEMA's Housing and Services Program.

Immigrant rights activists and environmental organizations have expressed strong reactions. Mark Fleming, from the National Justice Center for Immigrants, stated that an 'independent detention center' is being created without accountability, expressing concerns about the health and safety of detainees. The Friends of the Everglades protested the construction in a sensitive ecosystem.

The construction of the center comes at a time when the White House is pushing for mass deportations and facing capacity problems in immigrant detention centers. Donald Trump had ordered the reopening of Alcatraz.