Trump: Migrants Need to Know ‘How to Run Away from Alligator’ to Flee Alcatraz/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump showcased Florida’s new detention center, joking migrants must learn to flee alligators if they escape. Critics call it a cruel political stunt. The Everglades site symbolizes Trump’s hardline immigration stance.
Trump Everglades Visit Quick Looks
- Trump tours remote Florida detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”
- President jokes migrants should zigzag to escape alligators
- Facility could hold 5,000 detainees amid harsh immigration policies
- Critics call center cruel, citing ecological and ethical concerns
- DHS uses alligator imagery to brand detention site
- Florida GOP fundraising off facility merchandise
- ICE detainees held for immigration offenses, not violent crimes
- DeSantis boasts of facility’s security and isolation
Deep Look
Trump Highlights ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center, Jokes About Migrants Escaping Gators
OCHOPEE, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday turned Florida’s newest immigration detention facility into a symbol of his tough border policies — complete with alligators as part of the political theater.
Visiting a site deep in the Florida Everglades, Trump joked that migrants trying to escape the remote facility would need to master how to dodge the region’s reptilian residents.
“This is not a nice business,” Trump said before departing the White House. Then, with a dramatic zigzag gesture, he quipped: “We’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator if they escape prison. Don’t run in a straight line… Your chances go up about 1%.”
Alligators, Isolation, and Political Messaging
Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the new center is set on an airstrip about 50 miles west of Miami, featuring tents and trailers typically used for disaster response. It could hold up to 5,000 detainees and is surrounded by cypress swamps teeming with mosquitoes, pythons, and — yes — alligators.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt underlined the facility’s symbolism. “There’s only one road leading in, and the only way out is a one-way flight,” she said. “It is isolated, and it is surrounded by dangerous wildlife and unforgiving terrain.”
The site has become a focal point in Trump’s hardline immigration narrative. He has previously floated controversial ideas like reopening Alcatraz as a detention site or sending detainees to Guantánamo Bay, though many such proposals remain impractical or symbolic.
Critics Slam the Facility
Former Florida GOP congressman David Jolly, now running for governor as a Democrat, condemned the Everglades facility as a “callous political stunt.”
Environmental groups and Native American leaders have also protested, citing the fragile ecosystem and sacred land concerns. Protesters often gather near the site, which is tucked amid towering cypress trees.
“This is cruelty masquerading as policy,” said an immigration advocate outside the facility on Tuesday. “Trump’s jokes about gators might amuse his base, but real people’s lives are at stake.”
Facility Funded by FEMA
State officials are overseeing construction, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is funding much of the cost — a point critics say diverts resources away from hurricane and disaster relief efforts.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, praised by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as the architect of the plan, debuted the proposal last year with a flashy video featuring glowing red-eyed alligators and pounding rock music.
The Department of Homeland Security even posted images of cartoon alligators wearing ICE hats, grinning in front of barbed wire fences.
Florida GOP Turns Facility Into Merchandise
The Florida Republican Party has capitalized on the spectacle, selling T-shirts and drink sleeves branded with “Alligator Alcatraz” imagery.
Governor Ron DeSantis, who ran unsuccessfully against Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, emphasized the facility’s security.
“They ain’t going anywhere once they’re there, unless you want them to go somewhere,” DeSantis said. “Good luck getting to civilization. The security is amazing.”
Understanding Who’s Held Inside
The detainees are typically individuals apprehended for immigration violations — entering the country illegally or overstaying visas. They await deportation or legal proceedings in immigration courts. Those accused of violent crimes are handled first through criminal courts and may only transfer to ICE afterward.
Trump has made immigration crackdowns central to his presidency, repeatedly seeking ways to deter illegal crossings and deport those living unlawfully in the U.S.
Despite the jokes and marketing, critics warn the Florida center raises serious humanitarian concerns — both for detainees and the environment.
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