President Donald Trump visited the new migrant detention facility, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," in the Everglades on Tuesday (July 1). The center, located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, is set to start operations soon. Trump was accompanied by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and other officials during the tour.

The facility, which features rows of fenced-in bunk beds and a razor-wire perimeter, is designed to hold migrants before deportation. It is situated in an isolated area within the Big Cypress National Preserve, adjacent to Everglades National Park. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier coined the nickname "Alligator Alcatraz" due to the site's proximity to the Everglades' natural predators.

Trump praised the facility, calling it "so professional, so well done." He likened it to an East Coast version of the infamous island prison off San Francisco. The facility will initially open with 5,000 beds, about half of its total capacity, and is expected to start receiving its first detainees by Wednesday (July 2).

The center is part of the Trump administration's efforts to increase the number of beds for detaining migrants nationwide to 100,000. It aims to expedite the deportation process, with plans to use the airstrip for deportation flights. Governor DeSantis mentioned that National Guard judge advocates will serve as immigration judges to speed up the removal of migrants.

While the facility has received support from Florida Republicans, it has also faced backlash. Hundreds of protesters, including conservationists and Indigenous communities, have gathered to oppose its development. The facility is expected to cost Florida $450 million to operate for one year, with much of the cost reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

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