U.S. President Donald Trump paid a visit to an immigration detention facility in Florida known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ on Tuesday, making light of the fact that the area’s alligators would act as guards. He was joined by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during this trip.
This detention center, situated roughly 50 kilometers west of Miami on a secluded airstrip, is surrounded by swamps abundant with alligators and pythons within the Florida Everglades.
I don’t think anyone realizes how impressive Alligator Alcatraz is. The State of Florida built this 3,000 bed federal prison in eight days. The director tells me it could have been done in 72 hours were it not for some regulatory hold-ups. Now all the state needs is DOJ approval… pic.twitter.com/gOFuQkyn2Z
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 1, 2025
“Very soon this facility will house some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet. We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland and the only way out is really deportation.” Trump said during his visit, reported AFP.
The severe conditions of the detention facility mirror the Trump administration’s approach to illegal immigration and its consequences.
Joking about the alligators around the camo, which is also mosquito-infested, would serve as cops, Trump said, “A lot of bodyguards and a lot of cops in the form of alligators — you don’t have to pay them so much…I wouldn’t want to run through the Everglades for long. It will keep people where they’re supposed to be.”
Before arriving for the visit, Trump also joked about teaching detainees how to run away from alligators.
“We’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator if they escape prison,” he said.
While making a zigzag motion with his hands, Trump added, “Don’t run in a straight line. Run like this…And you know what? Your chances go up about 1%,” reported AP.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the detention facility is set to open, with detainees expected to begin arriving on Wednesday. He also mentioned that the camp, constructed in just eight days, can accommodate up to 3,000 detainees, according to AP.
According to the report, the facility is outfitted with more than 200 security cameras, over 28,000 feet (8,500 meters) of barbed wire, and a security staff of 400 personnel.
Fact inputs from AP, AFP.
