Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday announced "hundreds" of illegal aliens will be arriving at the state's new detention center in the Everglades, which has become known as "Alligator Alcatraz."
"Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight. Next stop: back to where they came from," Uthmeier said.
The attorney general first dropped the idea of Alligator Alcatraz back on June 19. Since then, it has become a polarizing topic among Florida Republicans and Democrats for its necessity.
Formerly an old abandoned airfield, Alligator Alcatraz is expected to hold up to 3,000 captured migrants. The location is 39 square miles overall with a 10,500-foot-long runway, making it an ideal area to transport individuals.
According to officials, the facility will include 1,000 staff members, over 200 security cameras, 28,000 feet of barbed wire, and over 400 security personnel. In addition, the facility will have air conditioning, recreational space, and 24/7 medical access.
Similar to the original Alcatraz in San Francisco, Alligator Alcatraz is surrounded by deterrents, which include alligators and snakes.
"We're going to fill this place up," Uthmeier said at its opening on Tuesday. "It's our natural Alcatraz."
Uthmeier had said the facility would be ready to go within 30-60 days. It instead appears to be a go in under two weeks.
Arguably, Alligator Alcatraz is a crowning signature for the Trump administration and Florida's effort under Gov. Ron DeSantis to expedite illegal aliens out of the country. DeSantis has also pitched another detention center at Camp Blanding near Jacksonville.
On-site Tuesday, President Donald Trump lauded the facility's completion. He was joined by DeSantis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Congressman Byron Donalds - all strong allies of the president's immigration agenda at its opening.
"It's a great honor to be deep in the Florida Everglades to open America's newest migrant detention centers," Trump said. "Incredibly built."
Florida Democrats are less than thrilled.
"Only in Florida could turning an old prison surrounded by alligators into an immigration detention center be considered a serious policy proposal," Miami Gardens Democrat Shevrin Jones told The Floridian. "Let's be clear - this isn't about safety or solutions. It's political theater."
