Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' Immigration Detention Center Nears Opening

'Alligator Alcatraz' Facility Details

• 🐊 The new immigration detention center, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' by Florida's Attorney General, is located about 45 miles west of downtown Miami.
• 🐍 Its name is derived from the surrounding Everglades swampland, which is inhabited by mosquitoes, pythons, and alligators.
• ⛺ The facility will consist of heavy-duty tents, trailers, and temporary buildings, similar to structures used during natural disasters.

Capacity and Timeline

• 🗓️ Florida's Attorney General states the facility aims to provide approximately 5,000 immigration detention beds by early July.
• ⏳ This suggests the center could be operational within days.

Funding and Costs

• 💰 The estimated cost to run the facility is about $245 per bed per day, totaling around $450 million annually.
• 💸 Florida initially plans to cover the expenses, with the intention of seeking reimbursement from FEMA's $625 million shelter and service program fund.

Controversy and Protests

• 📣 The plan has drawn criticism from some Democrats and activists.
• ✊ Several hundred individuals protested outside the property gates on Sunday, expressing their opposition to the detention center.