Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz': Proposed Everglades Immigration Detention Center

Proposed Immigration Enforcement Facility

• 🐊 The Florida Attorney General is proposing a new immigration enforcement facility, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' in a remote part of the Everglades.
• 🎯 This facility aims to alleviate pressure on crowded county jails currently holding detained illegal immigrants.
• 🏠 The proposed site would function as a 3-in-1 immigration enforcement center, including detainee housing, legal case processing, and a deportation hub.

Facility Design and Location

• 🏗️ Plans include temporary structures with a capacity for a thousand beds, which would make it Florida's largest detention facility.
• ✈️ The chosen remote location, owned by Miami Dade County, features an existing airstrip facilitating direct deportation flights.
• 🏞️ The area is surrounded by the Everglades but is not part of the National Park, with its natural terrain offering a low-cost security advantage, as escapees would have nowhere to go.

Operational Details and Timeline

• ⚖️ The Florida National Guard is expected to play a significant role, with military attorneys being trained as immigration judges to expedite legal processes.
• ⏳ The facility is designed to hold individuals for weeks or months during their immigration proceedings.
• ⚡ If approved, operations could commence rapidly, with officials suggesting a launch window of 30 to 60 days after receiving the green light.