In the midst of a contentious debate over immigration, Florida is moving swiftly to establish an immigration detention center in the Everglades.
The facility, which has been a source of division among officials and advocates, is seen by some as a necessary response to the influx of illegal immigrants into the state. According to Pew Research, between 2019 and 2022, approximately 400,000 illegal immigrants relocated to Florida, raising the total number of illegal individuals in the Sunshine State to an estimated 1.2 million.
As reported by Newsmax, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on January 6, 2023, attributing the mass migration issue to the Biden administration's inadequate immigration policy. In a bid to address the crisis, Florida initiated the construction of a detention center, humorously dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in mid-June.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the facility as a "cost-effective and innovative" method of fulfilling "the American people's mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens."
However, the facility has been met with fierce opposition from immigration and environmental activists who view it as an unnecessary and extreme measure. Thomas Kennedy, the spokesperson for the Florida Immigration Coalition (FLIC), criticized the detention center as a tool of "political theater meant to polarize, divide, and create controversy, create friction, [and] create tension in society." He argued that the facility is "designed to enact suffering."
In addition to humanitarian concerns, environmental advocacy group Friends of the Everglades has raised alarms about the potential ecological impact of the detention center. The group contends that the facility "poses an unacceptable and unnecessary risk to on-site wetlands." On June 27, 2025, they filed a lawsuit against several agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, over concerns of potential ecosystem damage.
The construction of the detention center has become one of Florida's most divisive issues, with both sides steadfast in their beliefs about whether the facility is a necessary safeguard or a grave mistake. As the debate continues, it's clear that the issue of immigration remains a contentious topic in the Sunshine State and across the nation.
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