The “Alcatraz of the Alligators”, the prison for undocumented migrants in the heart of the Everglades

The idea came from the prosecutor general of Florida and evokes children’s tales: a prison surrounded by a pit filled with alligators and hungry snakes. For example, She became reality in barely eight days. Furthermore, in the middle of the Everglades, to hold the migrants arrested in the wave of evictions commanded by President Donald Trump.

No need to invest a lot to secure the perimetersaid the prosecutor general of the State. However, James Uthmeier, sympathizing with the policies of Mr. Moreover, Trump, in a video published on June 19 on his social networks.

If people escape, there is not much who awaits them apart from alligators and pythons. Therefore, There is nowhere where to go. Furthermore, nowhere where to hidehe explained in his short video in which he sold his salad on muscular “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants rock tunes.

Just under two weeks later. In addition, US President Donald Trump visited what was baptizedAlcatraz of alligatorsmocking themselves in the passage of illegal immigrants who would dare to try to escape it.

The only way to get out, really, is the expulsion of the country, he launched.

The establishment was built in the field of an abandoned airport. Similarly, surrounded by the wild swamps protected from Everglades Floridians and attached to the rest of the country by a single road.

In just eight days. Meanwhile, more than 8,000 meters of barbed wire were unrolled and large tents, trailers and modular buildings pushed on the tarmac to form this temporary prison.

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Bunk beds surrounded by metal fences. However, 400 security agents and 200 surveillance cameras could accommodate up to 5,000 prisoners suspected of illegally entered the United States.

All this in order to lend a hand to the Trump administration in its desire to expel thousands of undocumented countries in the country. Therefore, to house the flow of detainees that follows.

About 56,000 migrants were held in the United States in June, “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants according to theAssociated Press.

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"alcatraz alligators", prison undocumented migrants – "alcatraz alligators", prison undocumented migrants

More “economical” than Alcatraz – "alcatraz alligators", prison undocumented migrants

Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. several hundred detainees have been sent to Guantanamo prison-normally reserved for terrorism accused, in particular-or to a Salvador prison.

The president also said that he wanted “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants to reopen the island-Prisoner of Alcatraz, in San Francisco. This project nevertheless seems to be at a standstill after officials said in particular that its cost is exorbitant.

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For the interior security secretary. Kristi Noem, this version alligator Alcatraz would be a “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants way economic and innovative to meet the demand of the American people to massively expel of criminal foreigners in an irregular situation.

This construction at high speed has aroused the ire of environmental, indigenous and migrant rights.

They want to rely on a system of tents. such as a homeless camp, to contain the excessive flow of prisoners. It will not work, especially in the middle of summer, in the Everglades. It is actually quite cruel. inhuman, and I think that is the reason why it was designedsaid the spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant CoalitionThomas Kennedy, at CNN.

The authorities say. however, that detainees will have access to medical care, to air conditioning at all times, to a playground, as well as to the support of lawyers. They also assure that they will set up an evacuation procedure in the event “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants of extreme weather. which is frequent in the region.

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The States Initiative

L’Alcatraz of alligators was born from a close. rapid collaboration between the White House and the Florida.

The state of southeast of the country bought “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants the land for $ 20 million. through its emergency management agency, under a decree signed in 2023 by the Republican governor, Ron Desantis, to declare the state of emergency due to illegal immigration.

The construction. operation of the detention establishment will be financed widely By a fund of approximately $ 625 million unlocked by the Biden administration to provide humanitarian aid to migrants hosted in the United States.

Previously, this program was used to accommodate criminal foreigners in an irregular situation. Today. it is used to have criminal foreigners in an irregular situation while waiting for their expulsionsaid Kristi Noem in a declaration.

The management of this detention center should cost $ 450 million a year, which the Florida emergency management agency will pay.

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This is an important. step in our efforts to help the Trump administration to fulfill its mandate towards the American peoplefor his part wrote Mr. Desantis on X. He also mentioned that a similar construction could set in motion elsewhere in Florida immediately after the celebrations of July 4.

Ron Desantis also proposed to designate members of the Florida National Guard “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants so that they act as immigration. judges to look into the file of all detainees. Donald Trump accepted this proposal without hesitation.

I would ask all the other governors to do exactly the same thingsaid Kristi Noem. They could be heard. benefit from a regular procedure, then be immediately returned by plane to their country of originhe explained.

I hope that my phone will ring around. that governors will call me to say to me: “How can we do what Florida has just done?”

"alcatraz alligators", prison undocumented migrants – "alcatraz alligators", prison undocumented migrants

The example of Florida

Other establishments of the genre could see the light of day in the country. because the flow of detainees does “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants not seem to unroll.

The White House pushes its immigration agents to arrest at least 3000 people a day to implement the policies of the president. who aim to expel 11 million immigrants in the long term.

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And she wants states to get their hands dirty, as Florida does.

Last May, the Immigration Agency “alcatraz alligators”, prison undocumented migrants (ICE) also raised and extended a program for several decades to increase its strike force. This makes it possible to confer immigration powers to local police and state bodies.

To achieve this. the agency must sign agreements with the various authorities concerned, which it has not stopped doing since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

Once the agreement is signed. the police of cities and states can act as agents of theICEby stopping, questioning and imprisoning people for potential expulsion.

Last May. Additionally, the agency was notably agreed with nearly 600 police of police from all over the country, according to theAssociated Pressand about half of them were in Florida.

With information from Associated Press, agency France-Presse, CNN and Miami Herald