Trump inaugurates migrant centre in the Everglades: controversy ensues

“Alligator Alcatraz”, a camp for irregular migrants in the middle of a swampy area, opens in Florida: environmentalists and opposition protest

A new migrant centre in the heart of the Everglades: Trump visits amid controversy
US President Donald Trump travelled to the Everglades in Florida today for the inauguration of a new detention centre for irregular immigrants, a facility already at the centre of strong criticism for its environmental and humanitarian conditions.

Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, the facility is located in one of the most isolated areas of the country, surrounded by hostile swampland and prone to frequent hurricanes. The project was strongly supported by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and conceived by the state’s attorney general, James Uthmeier.

Rapid construction thanks to emergency powers
The camp, built in just seven days thanks to a special authorisation from the governor, can accommodate up to 3,000 migrants in a tent city set up on a disused airstrip. The ceremony was also attended by Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, who described the opening as part of a strategy to “expand facilities and beds in anticipation of mass deportations”. Noem announced that part of the funds used by Florida will be reimbursed at the federal level.

Environmental deterrence and extreme conditions
According to local Republican leaders, the location of the camp is part of a deterrent strategy: the isolated location and harsh environmental conditions are designed to encourage migrants to give up on staying. “They can’t get stuck in a hurricane if they self-deport,” wrote Bill Helmich, head of the Florida Republican Party, on X.

Democratic opposition and humanitarian alarm
The opposition’s reaction was not long in coming. Democratic Senator Shevrin Jones called the camp ‘an open-air prison in a swamp,’ denouncing the lack of minimum measures to ensure humane living conditions. ‘They are locking people up under the scorching Florida sun, with no clear management plan,’ he said.

Environmental concerns: “A disaster for the Everglades”
Environmental groups have also raised serious concerns. According to the organisation Friends of the Everglades, 96% of the centre is located on protected wetlands adjacent to the Big Cypress National Preserve, habitat of the Florida panther and numerous protected species.

‘It’s a cruel plan that threatens a delicate and precious ecosystem that the United States has already spent billions to protect,’ said Eve Samples, director of the association.

As the centre officially opens, the controversy is set to grow, with many voices calling for action to stop what is already being described by many as ‘a dangerous drift, both ethically and environmentally.’

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(Photo: © AndKronos)