President Donald Trump visited ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ the newest illegal immigrant detention facility in the nation, located in the Florida Everglades and surrounded by swamplands teeming with alligators and pythons. ‘It’s known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ which is very appropriate because I looked outside, and that’s not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon,’ Trump said during a tour, joking about the facility’s remote and dangerous location. He described the individuals housed there as ‘some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet.’
During the visit, Trump toured the facility alongside Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. He was also joined by Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and other federal and local leaders. Noem stated that the facility’s remote location enhances its security measures, while also noting that it is air-conditioned, offering a modern amenity in a harsh environment.
The detention center was authorized by DeSantis in June under an emergency order to address the surge of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration. The facility, built on a former airport, now houses 5,000 migrants as part of the Trump administration’s deportation strategy. The site’s natural environment, with its alligators and pythons, has earned it the nickname ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ emphasizing the challenging conditions detainees will face.
Trump’s visit also sparked a public challenge to California Governor Gavin Newsom, who had previously criticized the facility. Trump taunted Newsom to visit the site and ‘learn something about immigration,’ highlighting the political nature of the issue and the administration’s approach to immigration control.