WASHINGTON—Picking up on a statement issued by Chairwoman Nikki Fried, Florida Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday slammed the state's plan to build an illegal alien detention facility on an abandoned airfield in the Everglades, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."
First unveiled by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, the facility is 55 miles west of Miami in Ochopee, an unincorporated part of Collier County. It also encircles the Everglades wetland, which is home to alligators and snakes, a natural defense against potential migrant runaways.
Rep. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) blasted the move, echoing Fried's words that the facility was nothing more than a show "political theater."
"Only in Florida could turning an old prison surrounded by alligators into an immigration detention center be considered a serious policy proposal," Jones told The Floridian. "Let's be clear - this isn't about safety or solutions. It's political theater."
"Floridians are struggling with real issues - soaring housing costs, rising insurance premiums, and everyday economic pressures. Instead of addressing those concerns, we're getting headlines meant to distract and divide," Jones continued.
Uthmeirer said "Alligator Alcatraz" could be up and running within 60 days and hold as many as 1,000 criminal aliens. Specifically, the airport is 39 square miles with a 10,500-foot-long runway, making it an ideal area to house large numbers of migrants.
On Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) called the idea "horrible." He also questioned the detention facility's infrastructure for Florida's hurricane season, which is currently underway.
"It's cruel. We can use 5,000 beds for the homeless issues that we have locally," Frost told The Floridian. "I think it's a horrible idea, and I think it's gonna put the detainees, over 90% of them have not been convicted of a criminal offense, but also the staff in danger too."
Despite criticism, "Alligator Alcatraz" appears to have the green light. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approved Florida's proposal on Monday.
Soon after the approval, Gov. Ron DeSantis used his emergency powers to take control of the abandoned airport from Miami-Dade County. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) originally offered to buy the land from Miami-Dade, but instead received an "unreasonable" counteroffer of $190 million from County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) called the plan "ridiculous."
"I did notice that Mayor Levine Cava had called this out as a political stunt, a waste of money, and a waste of time by an attorney general who's just trying to get attention," Castor told The Floridian. "These kinds of political stunts are beneath an attorney general from Florida."
The original Alcatraz was an island prison off San Francisco, housing some of America's most notorious criminals until 1964, when 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, including cold water, rip currents, and a mile-long distance from shore.
