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yesterday

Florida Breaks Ground on 'Alligator Alcatraz' Everglades Detention Camp

Under a fast-track build, an old Everglades airstrip will be converted into a 5,000-bed camp financed largely through FEMA’s shelter program.

Alligator Alcatraz
Image
FILE - With San Francisco in the background, Alcatraz Island is pictured on Monday, May 5, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Overview

  • Construction began this week with heavy-duty tents and trailers set to be completed within 30 to 60 days for an early July opening.
  • The site is designed to hold up to 5,000 migrants with criminal records, relying on surrounding alligators and pythons as natural barriers.
  • Florida estimates annual operating costs at $450 million and plans to request major reimbursement from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program.
  • The 39-square-mile facility will repurpose the defunct Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, featuring an 11,000-foot runway deep in the wetlands.
  • Miami-Dade leaders and environmental groups warn the rapid development risks severe ecological damage and endangers detainee safety.