President Donald Trumpโs latest immigration initiativeโAlligator Alcatrazโis making waves deep in Floridaโs Everglades. Billed as a โcost-effectiveโ alternative to traditional detention centers, the controversial facility is projected to cost U.S. taxpayers a staggeringย $450 million per year.
A Swamp Fortress with Bite
Built on an abandoned airstrip at the Dade-Collier Training and Transport Airport, the detention center is surrounded by d**dly wildlifeโpythons, alligators, and clouds of mosquitoes. Trump calls the facility โsecure and beautiful,โ boasting that โbodyguardsโ come in the form of alligators.
The center opened July 1 and currently houses up toย 3,000 detainees, with plans to increase capacity to 5,000. Rows of bunk beds enclosed by chain-link fencing fill the camp, which critics describe as a โprison campโ designed toย double migrant detention capacityย from 41,000 to 100,000.
Designed to Deter and Pressure
The facilityโs remote location isnโt an accident. Officials admit itโs meant to discourage illegal immigration andย pressure detainees to self-deport. However, human rights advocates say the strategy amounts toย psychological and physical t*rment.
Inmates Speak Out: โItโs a State of T*rt.ureโ
Cuban detainee Rafel Collado compared the conditions to โa dog cage.โ He says filthy water, limited showers, and overcrowding led to a painful foot infection.
Another detainee, Juan Palma, told NBC: โI feel like my life is in danger.โ He described constant mosquito a**acks, bright fluorescent lighting around the clock, and no sense of night or day.
Though both men have criminal records, their families argue they have served their time. Meanwhile, data from June 20 shows thatย 72% of those in detention have no criminal record.
Taxpayer Burden: $450 Million Annually
Despite Trumpโs claims of cost-efficiency, critics say the numbers donโt add up. Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith told ABC News Channel 9 that housing one detainee atย Alligator Alcatrazย costsย over $90,000 a yearโmore than triple theย $27,000ย average in traditional facilities.
โThis is a tent city on top of the Everglades,โ Smith said. โThatโs a $450 million bill for taxpayersโand it doesnโt even factor in the cost of hurricanes.โ
Hurricane Thr**t Could Add More Costs
Experts warn the camp is not built to withstand even a Category 3 hurricane. With hurricane season fast approaching, evacuation plans remain unclearโandย no official cost estimate exists for relocating thousands of detaineesย in an emergency.
Congresswoman Lois Frankel criticized the plan, saying, โAlligator Alcatraz is a gimmick. That money could be spent far more wisely.โ
Your Voice Matters
Do you think taxpayer money should fundย Alligator Alcatraz? Share your thoughtsโand share this story to hear from others.
