Outrage As Trump Admin Plots $450m ICE Facility in Gator-Filled Florida Swamp Liberals Call It 'Barbaric'

A controversial new migrant detention centre dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' is rising in the heart of the Florida Everglades. The Trump administration confirmed on Tuesday 1 July 2025 that construction has begun on the £355 million ($450 million) facility, which will hold up to 5,000 migrants awaiting deportation.

Florida officials broke ground on Monday, aiming to complete the centre in just 60 days. The site, officially known as the Miami-Dade/Collier Training Facility, sits on 30 square miles of remote swamp land often called 'alligator alley'.

In a promotional video on X, he claimed the natural geography would discourage escape attempts. 'If people get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons,' Uthmeier said. 'Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.'

The facility will be jointly managed by the Florida National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with plans to open by early July.

What's Behind the Move?

The project is part of a renewed immigration crackdown, with the Trump administration pushing for increased arrests and faster deportations. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said officials are working at 'turbo speed' to deliver on their promise of mass deportations.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and border adviser Tom Homan have both praised the move, insisting it is necessary to handle daily arrest targets of up to 3,000 undocumented migrants.

Officials have even floated Guantánamo Bay as another possible detention site to meet growing capacity needs.

A Price Tag That Raises Eyebrows

The new Everglades centre is expected to cost around £355 million ($450 million) a year to operate. While Florida will initially cover the expenses, some costs could be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

State leaders argue that the price is justified by the scale of the immigration operation and the need for immediate capacity expansion.

Backlash Over 'Alligator Alcatraz'

The project has sparked outrage from human rights groups and immigrant advocates, who have slammed it as cruel and symbolic of an increasingly harsh immigration stance.

The Department of Homeland Security drew additional criticism after posting an AI-generated meme on X showing alligators in ICE baseball caps with the caption 'Coming soon!' Many described the post as 'callous' and 'inhumane'.

Former US diplomat and Georgetown lecturer Brett Bruen called it 'a horrendous lack of humanity'. Social media users echoed this, accusing officials of turning a humanitarian crisis into a political stunt.

Critics Speak Out

Advocacy groups described the remote location as deliberately isolating and designed to limit access to legal aid. 'This is not about border security. It is about dehumanising people,' one activist wrote online.

Despite the criticism, construction is moving quickly, and officials say the facility will be operational within weeks.