Gov. Ron DeSantis will use emergency powers to take control of an abandoned Everglades airport away from Miami-Dade County and build a detention center to house illegal aliens, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."
According to a statement from the governor's office, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) offered to buy "Alligator Alcatraz" from Miami-Dade County, but County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava responded with an "unreasonable" counteroffer of $190 million.
In a letter, FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie sent a letter to Cava regarding the facility, saying: 'The Division will begin immediate utilization of the improved area of the site, as I now deem it necessary to meet the Division’s current operational demands in coping with the emergency."
"Time is of the essence. We must act swiftly to ensure readiness and continuity in our statewide operations to assist the federal government with immigration enforcement," Guthrie added. "The Division remains committed to working collaboratively with all appropriate authorities."
The governor's office added that any building of the facility wouldn't "incur the removal of vegetation, additional paving, or permanent construction" at the site.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier originally unveiled the idea of "Alligator Alacratz" in a video message last week. The 39-square-mile airport with its 10,500-foot-long runway, Uthmeier said, could "house as many as 1,000 criminal aliens."
It is also surrounded by the Everglades, making it potentially difficult for illegal migrants to escape. The wetland is home to alligators and pythons around the airport.
"You don't need to invest that much in the perimeter. People get out; there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons," Uthmeier said. "Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide"
The Department of Homeland Security approved the plan for the center on Monday. Uthmeier said the facility could be ready within 30 to 60 days after construction and house as many as 1000 criminal migrants.
While appearing to be in the works, the plan is being rejected by the Miccosukee Tribe. If built, the facility would be located adjacent to tribal land.
The original Alcatraz was an island prison off San Francisco, housing some of America's most notorious criminals from 1934-1964 before it was shut down due to high costs. Like the blueprint of Florida's version, the prison was known to be nearly impossible to escape due to its natural defenses of cold water, rip currents, and mile-long distance from shore.
