Hundreds of immigrants to arrive at Everglades detention center tonight, Uthmeier announces
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ met with flooding concerns, environmental lawsuit as it awaits arrival of migrants – WSVN 7News
Officials said the facility is expected to house roughly 5,000 undocumented migrants. Environmental groups are trying to halt the project due to its potential impact on wetlands and wildlife. A gator could be seen looking at the project from down below in the wetland. Florida Department of Transportation workers installed “Alligator Alcatraz’ signs just a quarter-mile outside the facility’s gate. It remains unclear whether or not any migrants had arrived as of late Wednesday night.. Hundreds of migrants will arrive to the center on Wednesday night where they will be processed and then sent “back to where they came from,” according to his latest social media post. The center consists of trailers and heavy duty tents, and the center is located in the Florida Everglades.
Downpours that fell on the area dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” led to some minor flooding on Wednesday morning.
The flooding is just one of the challenges facing elected officials going forward. Hurricane season has begun, and the center consists of trailers and heavy duty tents.
But during the high-profile visit to the detention center by President Donald Trump and other elected leaders, the state’s executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthrie, told reporters they have a hurricane plan if the situation arises.
“As with all state correctional facilities, we have a hurricane plan. We will not wait for a Category 2, we will follow our normal evacuation procedures as we do for any other facility statewide in our great state of Florida,” said Guthrie.
Officials said the facility is expected to house roughly 5,000 undocumented migrants.
“You got it done in how many days?” Trump asked Gov. Ron DeSantis during their tour on Tuesday.
“Eight days a new facility was up and running,” said DeSantis.
Trump said he would approve the governor’s plan to use certain members of the Florida National Guard to act as immigration judges.
On Wednesday, a C-17 aircraft was captured circling the facility and then appearing to land. It remains unclear who or what may have been on the aircraft.
Also, just a quarter-mile outside the facility’s gate, Florida Department of Transportation workers installed “Alligator Alcatraz” signs. A gator could be seen looking at the project from down below in the wetland.
Before another round of rain poured down on the facility, Stella Rooker and her family, who are in town from Dallas, decided to take a detour from their Everglades trip to check out the detention site.
“We decided, ‘Hey, we want to see if it’s up and what’s going on here, to see if the facility is up?’ Because they got it up really quick,” said Rooker.
Rooker said she’s in support of the new site, as it expands the detention capacity for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“Mostly because the struggles that we are having, especially politically, to try to get some of these unwanted criminals from our country,” she said.
She did make note of the environment that surrounds the migrant facility, which has led two environmental groups to file a lawsuit.
“The environment is beautiful, the water is beautiful. It’s got storks and birds and even just the atmosphere of it,” said Rooker.
Those in opposition are trying to halt the project due to its potential impact on wetlands and wildlife.
In a court filing, Florida Division of Emergency Management Deputy Director Keith Pruett argued the airstrip has long been an active training site with thousands of flights, and the impact to the environment would be minimal.
Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier said hundreds of migrants would arrive to the center on Wednesday night where they will be processed and then sent “back to where they came from,” according to his latest social media post.
But as of late Wednesday night, it remained unclear whether or not any migrants had arrived.
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Detainees to begin arriving at Alligator Alcatraz Wednesday night
The facility opened Tuesday with a visit from President Donald Trump. The timing of detainee arrivals at the detention facility in the Everglades was determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a post on X, referring to the facility by the official name the state has given it. “Next stop: back to where they came from.”
The facility opened Tuesday with a visit from President Donald Trump. The timing of detainee arrivals at the detention facility in the Everglades was determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, state officials told the Miami Herald.
“Florida stands ready to support federal operations as needed, and the state has ensured the facility is prepared to receive individuals once DHS and ICE finalize transportation logistics and scheduling,” a spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management said in an email.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Florida AG: Hundreds of Illegal Immigrants Set to Arrive at Alligator Alcatraz
“Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight,” he said in a post on social media X Wednesday. ”They come here … they have already been ordered to be deported. You drive them 2,000 feet to the runway, and they’re gone. It’s a one-stop shop.” Trump said at a round table discussion in Florida after touring the place. “Why would you want to come through Alligator Alcantraz if you can just go home on your own?” DeSantis said during the opening of the round table at the opening. � ”I think a lot of people are going to make that decision,’ he said. ‘I looked outside, and that’s not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon.’
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed that the first illegal immigrants will arrive at the new Alligator Alcatraz detention and deportation facility in the Everglades on July 2.
“Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight,” he said in a post on social media platform X Wednesday. “Next stop: back to where they came from.”
Consisting of temporary yet hurricane-proof aluminum structures on an airfield built within the Big Cypress National Preserve, more than 50 miles away from downtown Miami, Alligator Alcatraz was declared ready to receive as many as 3,000 illegal immigrants and 1,000 staff on July 1, eight days after construction at the compound began.
The nearly 10,500-foot-long runway, which was originally intended to be a part of a massive international airport, is large enough to handle small and large aircraft, and it will be used to launch deportation flights for the detained illegal immigrants.
It is unknown at the time of publication when the first deportation flight will depart from Alligator Alcatraz.
Air Force One (the Boeing 757 variety) utilized the runway on July 1 when President Donald Trump attended the facility’s official opening with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and other officials.
“Think about what you have here,” DeSantis said during a round table at the opening. ”They come here … they have already been ordered to be deported. You drive them 2,000 feet to the runway, and they’re gone. It’s a one-stop shop.”
Uthmeier said that more than 10 miles of Everglades swampland surrounds the perimeter, providing a similar natural barrier to the facility’s island namesake.
Tens of thousands of alligators are reported to live in the swamps of Big Cypress National Preserve, in addition to American crocodiles, Burmese pythons, Florida panthers, and cottonmouths.
“I looked outside, and that’s not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon,” Trump said at a round table discussion in Florida after touring the place.
“We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swamp land, and the only way out is really deportation.”
The facility was touted by state officials as the latest example of Florida’s commitment to working with the Trump administration on illegal immigration. The state has passed legislation that, among other things, makes it a crime to enter the state illegally and mandates that all state and local entities and law enforcement agencies cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
DeSantis also announced that Florida will deputize the National Guard members as immigration judges to expedite the deportation process.
“It’s made a huge difference on any given day. Florida constitutes about 20 percent of all immigration arrests nationwide,” he said.
Noem, who approved federal funding for the plans, praised Alligator Alcatraz and Florida’s ability to open it so quickly. She also suggested that illegal immigrants download the Customs and Border Protection Home App and participate in government-funded self-deportation.
DeSantis echoed Noem’s sentiment.
“Why would you want to come through Alligator Alcatraz if you can just go home on your own?” he asked. ”I think a lot of people are going to make that decision.”
As the federal government and the state of Florida proceed with operations at Alligator Alcatraz, environmental groups are taking legal action against it, arguing that federal and state-level officials violated federal law in refusing to conduct an environmental review and seek public opinion before starting the project.
Emel Akan contributed to this report.
What is ‘Alligator Alcatraz’? Controversial immigrant detention centre in US
Florida is preparing to receive the first group of immigrants at a newly built detention centre deep in the Everglades. The detention site is set to begin operations soon, housing hundreds of detainees transported by bus. When fully operational, it is expected to hold up to 3,000 detainees initially, with plans to expand to a capacity of 5,000 beds by early July. Naming the facility “Alligator Alcatraz”, a reference to the infamous federal prison known for its harsh conditions, is intended to send a tough message. Critics warn that the centre could become a traumatic environment for its occupants, resembling a prison more than a detention facility. The centre has sparked a significant backlash from environmental groups and Native American tribes.
Florida is preparing to receive the first group of immigrants at a newly built detention centre deep in the Everglades, a facility officials have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The detention site is set to begin operations soon, housing hundreds of detainees transported by bus, according to state authorities.
Florida Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on social media that “Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight. Next stop: back to where they came from.” However, exact details on the detainees’ arrival time and origins remain unclear.
A fortress
Located on a remote airport training facility in the Everglades, the detention centre was constructed in just eight days and spans over 10 miles (16 kilometres) of wetlands. When fully operational, it is expected to hold up to 3,000 detainees initially, with plans to expand to a capacity of 5,000 beds by early July.
The sprawling compound is heavily secured, featuring more than 200 security cameras, over 28,000 feet (8,500 meters) of barbed wire, and 400 security personnel. The facility will house immigrants arrested under the federal 287(g) program, which empowers local law enforcement officers to detain immigrants for potential deportation.
Controversy and criticism
The detention centre has sparked a significant backlash from environmental groups and Native American tribes. Critics argue that building such a facility in the fragile Everglades ecosystem threatens the environment and that the harsh conditions, including extreme heat, mosquitoes, and flooding risks, make it cruel for detainees. The land also holds cultural and spiritual importance for Native American communities.
Many have argued that the facility is a blatant violation of human rights, drawing unsettling comparisons to the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Critics warn that the centre could become a traumatic environment for its occupants, resembling a prison more than a detention facility.
Heavy rains have already caused flooding in some tents, including during a recent visit by President Donald Trump to mark the facility’s opening. State officials say the complex is built to withstand a Category 2 hurricane and have taken steps to reinforce vulnerable areas.
A deterrent strategy
Governor Ron DeSantis and other Florida officials have described the centre’s remote location as a deliberate deterrent to undocumented immigrants. Naming the facility “Alligator Alcatraz”, a reference to the infamous federal prison known for its harsh conditions, is intended to send a tough message.
This move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader approach, using scare tactics and stringent enforcement measures to encourage undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.
The detention centre has also become a political symbol among Florida Republicans. The state party has promoted “Alligator Alcatraz” through social media and conservative media outlets, sharing memes of alligators guarding the prison compound with ICE hats. They have also launched fundraising campaigns selling merchandise like T-shirts and beer koozies branded with the facility’s name.
As “Alligator Alcatraz” begins operations, it remains a focal point of debate over immigration enforcement, environmental protection, and the treatment of detainees in Florida. (With inputs from AP)
Florida Attorney General Uthmeier launches Alligator Alcatraz merch
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier first suggested building the $450 million-per-year facility at a small airport in the middle of the Everglades. His website offers 21 items labeled with the facility’s name, including $30 T-shirts, $12 sets of bumper stickers and a $25 coffee mug. His products are funding his 2026 bid to remain Florida’s attorney general. President Donald Trump gave him credit for coming up with the location of the facility at the opening of Alligator Alcatraz on July 1, 2025. Uthmeyer is one of three candidates who’ve announced bids for attorney general in 2026.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who first suggested building the $450 million-per-year facility at a small airport in the middle of the Everglades, garnered praise from conservative leaders around the country for the project.
Now that construction is done, he’s selling merchandise.
Uthmeier announced his Alligator Alcatraz products Tuesday, just hours before President Donald Trump landed in Florida to tour the facility.
I’m joining President Trump this morning for the launch of Alligator Alcatraz—a new illegal alien detention facility in the heart of the Everglades—one way in and one flight out!
Get your gear to show support: https://t.co/i5JLtmRiGD — James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) July 1, 2025
His website offers 21 items labeled with the facility’s name, including $30 T-shirts, $12 sets of bumper stickers and a $25 coffee mug.
The Florida GOP’s Alligator Alcatraz line, launched Sunday, aims to raise money for political spending across the state. Uthmeier’s products are funding his 2026 bid to remain Florida’s attorney general.
The Friends of James Uthmeier PAC supporting his election raised more than $1.4 million in February and March. Ashley Moody, who won the 2022 attorney general election, raised just over $3.5 million total.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Uthmeier to attorney general in February after Moody was tapped to replace Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate.
Uthmeier is building a name for himself on the back of flashy initiatives like Alligator Alcatraz, which earned him a nod from Trump at the facility’s opening.
Trump gave Uthmeier credit for coming up with the Everglades location of the facility.
“I heard you were responsible for that choice,” Trump told him. “That was a big choice. Thank you very much. Great job, James.”
Uthmeier is one of three candidates who’ve announced bids for attorney general in 2026. The others are José Javier Rodríguez, a Democratic former state representative from Coral Gables, and Steven Leskovich, a Republican attorney from Punta Gorda.
A notable name who may enter the race is former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz was Trump’s first choice for U.S. attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid a federal sex trafficking investigation.
Gaetz told the Tampa Bay Times in January he was considering a run for governor. He is also considering a Florida attorney general run, according to Axios.