Talahassee, Fla. (WFLA) – “Alligator Alcatraz” was just the beginning. Currently, there is a second site for the work to preserve undocumented immigrants. Gov. Ron Desantis is exploring similar detention facilities in hoping to set up a shop at Camp Blanding.
“We had a request from the federal government to do that, so is Croni Alcatraz,” DeSantis said.
Alligator Alcatraz is a new site that holds undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation, already under construction and is scheduled to open in July 2025.
The site is considered by state leaders as a “ideal” spot. Because it is located in the heart of the Everglades in the state’s swamp, there are crocodiles and snakes surrounding the land.
“The point is, I think you can’t really get away. With this place, Mother Nature doesn’t allow that. Just like the island here, you have an island surrounded by the Everglades,” Attorney General James Usmier said.
The governor’s mission doesn’t stop there, and DeSantis is also looking at another detention facility in Camp Branding, near Jacksonville, Clay County, where Florida National Guard is on the train.
“From a state taxpayer perspective, we’re doing that. We’re so good at it, there are people who are trying to do work and logistics, but that’s going to be fully refunded by the federal government,” DeSantis said.
For now, the federal government is only funding the center on the abandoned runway at Dade Collier in O’Coupe, Florida. But even the federal push, plans for two Florida camps have sparked alarms, and critics call it a political stunt.
“Instead of playing these games, why not fix the issues that are actually happening in Florida? You’ll want to know hundreds of millions more dollars to create these facilities. That’s another federal issue. This isn’t something the state government is supposed to undertake.
Ecosystem advocates alongside Democrats have warned about environmental concerns, but DeSantis argues that this is a temporary site with plans to eventually reclaim the land naturally.
“People are just trying to use the Everglades as an excuse because of the fact that they oppose immigration enforcement. Let’s be clear. That’s where you’re on the left right now. They don’t want the law to come into effect at all.”
“This is not about border security or protection. It’s Ron DeSantis, and now the attorney general is trying to play stunts and games with the people of this country in this state,” Fried said.
There may be two camps, but there is one message from the state leader. Florida is doubling immigration, and Democrats say they are likely to continue to face legal challenges in court.
