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From NBC News: President Donald Trump will be in the Florida Everglades on Tuesday for the opening of a controversial immigrant detention center spearheaded by state Republican leaders, which has faced vocal pushback from Democrats, Native American leaders and activist groups over humanitarian and environmental concerns.
The facility, informally dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by state Republicans, was the brainchild of state Attorney General James Uthmeier. It has received significant national attention, including during a “Fox and Friends” interview with Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday.
DeSantis described the push as Florida’s continued effort to align the state with Trump’s anti-immigrant crackdown. But Trump’s decision to attend in person, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has shifted some of the focus to the administration, which had to approve Florida’s plan to run the facility.
“When the president comes tomorrow, he’s going to be able to see the facility, which is expected to be ready for operation on Tuesday” DeSantis said on Monday, adding that the president is “very excited.”
Noem commented on the facility last week on X.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are working at turbo speed on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens,” she wrote. “We will expand facilities and bed spaces in just days, thanks to our partnership with Florida.”
Under President Trump’s leadership, we are working at turbo speed to deliver cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens. We will expand facilities and bed space in just days, thanks to our…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 24, 2025
Democrats and immigration advocates see conditions at the new facility as inhumane as undocumented people will be placed in a swamp surrounded by wildlife and subject to the Florida heat in an area that has seen its fair share of hurricanes, NBC reports.
Republicans say the harsh conditions are the point as they will be a deterrent.
“They can’t get stuck in a hurricane if they self-deport,” Bill Helmich, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, wrote in an X post, summing up the Republican sentiment on the matter.
They can’t get stuck in a hurricane if they self deport 🤷♂️
— Bill Helmich (@Billhelmich) June 30, 2025
READ MORE AT NBC News.
