Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier hopes to convert an old Everglades airport into the "Alligator Alcatraz,” a new detention facility for captured migrants in the state illegally.
Uthmeier posted a one-minute video to his social media account on Thursday, pitching "Alligator Alcatraz" as the state's sixth migrant detention facility in partnership with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
He spoke outside the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, noting that the endless sprawl of wildlife and low usage of the airport would make it the "best" new center in the state.
The suggestion comes months after Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a contested immigration law requiring partnerships with ICE and allowing state police to arrest undocumented immigrants, though a federal judge has temporarily blocked that part of the law.
"The governor tasked state leaders to identify places for new temporary detention facilities. I think this is the best one," Uthmeier said, as edited shots of the airport, the national park, and troopers arresting migrants played over intense music in the background.
"[It] presents an efficient, low-cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility, because you don't need to invest that much in the perimeter," he continued. "When people get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons.
"Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide."
Uthmeier said that "Alligator Alcatraz" could be up and running 30 to 60 days after construction begins at the 39-square-mile airport with its 10,500-foot-long runway. He added that it could "house as many as 1,000 criminal aliens."
Uthmeier's communications director, Jeremy Redfern, told The Floridian via text message that the process is "still in the early stages" but "there's been discussions between state and federal officials."
"More to come," Redfern said.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Florida has led the way in cracking down on illegal immigration, standing as the only state in the nation with all 67 counties having entered formal partnerships with ICE. Earlier this month, ICE arrested 100 people at a Tallahassee construction site.
This followed SB-4, a multi-faceted law pushed for and signed by DeSantis in February.
The measure—which also revokes in-state tuition for undocumented college students—had its provision allowing for state charges against unauthorized immigrants blocked by a federal judge.
Uthmeier, who insisted the injunction didn't apply to agencies like the Florida Highway Patrol, was held in civil contempt of court on Tuesday.
If constructed, "Alligator Alcatraz" would be the sixth ICE detention facility in the state, following Baker County Facility, Broward Transitional Center, Glades County Detention Center, Krome Service Processing Center, and Wakulla County Facility.
Alcatraz was an island prison off the San Francisco shoreline where the worst-of-the-worst criminals were locked up. The federal maximum security prison operated from 1934 to 1964 before it was shut down due to high costs.
It was known to be nearly impossible to escape, considering its natural defenses of the cold water, rip currents, and mile-long distance to shore. During its 29 years in operation (it's now a museum), 36 men were involved in 14 separate escape attempts. Of these, 23 were caught, 6 were shot and killed, and 2 drowned, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
President Donald Trump plans to reopen Alcatraz and expand it to house "the most ruthless and violent offenders."
