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Printed On 27 Jun 2025
Florida and federal officers introduced the state will construct a brand new immigration detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” within the Everglades – an space of wetlands within the south of the state. As a result of the ability will likely be partly funded by the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA), some Floridians are apprehensive it can have an effect on hurricane reduction funds.
Homeland Safety’s Secretary Kristi Noem “is utilizing FEMA funds to construct her Alligator Alcatraz focus camp in Florida. Firstly of hurricane season”, reads a June 23 X put up, “after we can’t pay our payments or fund meals for teenagers and the aged.”
One other June 23 X put up reads: “Florida’s constructing ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by diverting FEMA shelter funds meant for housing and help. They’re not defending anybody, they’re stealing emergency reduction cash to construct detention facilities in a swamp. Cruelty is at all times the purpose.”
These claims come after the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a more-active-than-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
The claims additionally comply with President Donald Trump saying he desires to get rid of FEMA and have states deal with preparation and response to hurricanes and different disasters. NPR reported that FEMA seems much less prepared to answer disasters beneath Trump due to a administration shake-up, worker departures and the cancellation of a programme that helped with catastrophe reduction.
The “Alligator Alcatraz” facility will get its nickname from Alcatraz, the previous maximum-security jail island in San Francisco Bay identified for its isolation, safety and minimal inmate privileges. The “Alligator” half is as a result of the 39-square-mile facility will likely be positioned remotely within the Everglades, a swampy area surrounded by alligators and pythons, the place “there’s nowhere to go, nowhere to cover”, based on a June 19 video posted by Florida Lawyer Basic James Uthmeier. The power can be six miles north of Everglades Nationwide Park.
Governor Ron DeSantis’s workplace informed PolitiFact the ability will use momentary buildings and shelters much like these used throughout pure disasters. The placement would be the deserted Dade-Collier Coaching and Transition Airport, which has an present airstrip. The state will use the positioning beneath the governor’s emergency powers.
The Division of Homeland Safety posted on June 23 on X that the ability is amongst its efforts to “ship on the American folks’s mandate for mass deportations. Alligator Alcatraz will increase amenities and mattress house in simply days, because of our partnership with Florida.”
The federal government will allocate some FEMA funds to the ability, however it is not going to use catastrophe relief funds.
The Florida Division of Emergency Administration will construct the ability for folks arrested by Florida regulation enforcement for immigration regulation offences. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) programme delegates to state and native regulation enforcement officers the authority to carry out particular immigration capabilities. Immigrants arrested in different states may be transferred to the ability beneath Florida’s custody.
How FEMA will fund ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
A Noem spokesperson informed PolitiFact on June 24 that the brand new Florida immigration detention facility will largely be funded by FEMA’s Shelter and Companies Program. Details about that programme is now not obtainable on FEMA’s web site, however a DHS spokesperson informed us that FEMA has roughly $625m in that programme’s funds that may be allotted to construct the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility.
The DHS spokesperson additionally stated that Florida will initially pay for the ability, after which will submit a reimbursement request to FEMA and DHS.
DHS stated the ability’s whole value will likely be roughly $450m for one 12 months. It’s anticipated to open 30 to 60 days after development, which began on June 23, based on The New York Occasions. It should open with 500 to 1,000 beds and is anticipated to have 5,000 beds by early July.
Congress accredited FEMA’s Shelter and Companies Program in fiscal 12 months 2023 to offer cash to state and native governments and nonprofit organisations that present migrants with momentary shelter, meals and transportation. The programme makes use of cash Congress gave Customs and Border Safety, and is run by FEMA. Earlier than then, together with in the course of the Trump administration, migrants obtained assist by means of one other FEMA programme, the Emergency Meals and Shelter Program, which is for folks dealing with homelessness and starvation.
FEMA’s Catastrophe Reduction Fund, which is primarily used after pure disasters, is funded individually by Congress.
Throughout his 2024 presidential marketing campaign, Trump falsely claimed the Biden administration was stealing hundreds of thousands from FEMA’s catastrophe help fund to assist migrants. The Shelter and Companies Program funding doesn’t come at catastrophe victims’ expense.
PolitiFact beforehand reported that in fiscal 12 months 2024, which began in October 2023 and led to September 2024, Congress directed US Customs and Border Safety to offer FEMA $650m for the Shelter and Companies Program.
From fiscal years 2021 to 2024, Congress allotted about $1.5bn mixed for each the Shelter and Companies Program and the Emergency Meals and Shelter program. The Trump administration stopped funding for the Emergency Meals and Shelter program.
“Alligator Alcatraz” is simply one of many methods Florida is planning to detain, course of and deport immigrants illegally within the US.
Earlier this 12 months, Florida supplied to construct immigration detention websites. The state’s “Immigration Enforcement Operations Plan” says it recognized a number of places within the northeastern and south-central areas of the state that would function detention centres. The report stated that to make the detention and deportation course of “seamless”, the places “are usually” close to airstrips.
DeSantis stated throughout a June 25 press convention that Camp Blanding Joint Coaching Heart, a coaching base for the Florida Nationwide Guard, quickly will likely be formally introduced as an immigration detention facility.