Deportation flights begin from Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ facility

Deportation flights have commenced from the controversial immigration detention facility in South Florida, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” as state officials brace for a surge in immigration arrests.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during a press briefing at the tent city detention center built in the Everglades, described the rapid construction and operational rollout as “remarkable,” stating that the facility supports President Donald Trump’s renewed deportation drive in his second term.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official Garrett J. Ripa, two to three removal flights have already departed, with about 100 undocumented individuals deported so far.

While the destinations remain undisclosed, Ripa noted the facility has the capacity to detain thousands, with expansion possible based on enforcement demands.

The tent city, constructed in just over a week on the repurposed Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport site, now includes 28,000 feet of fencing, nearly 300 surveillance cameras, and over 400 security personnel, including 200 National Guard troops. It is surrounded by 39 square miles of Everglades, which state officials claim provide a “natural buffer.”

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Despite these measures, serious concerns have been raised by detainees, legal advocates, and environmental groups.

CNN reports that detainees are being held in chain-link enclosures with limited access to water, bathrooms, showers, and legal counsel. Some have described the conditions as inhumane, likening them to being kept in dog cages.

Civil rights groups, including the ACLU of Florida, dispute state claims that all detainees have final deportation orders.

“Significant due process concerns remain,” ACLU spokesperson Keisha Mulfort said, adding that many detainees’ rights to legal representation are still being violated.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management Director, Kevin Guthrie, acknowledged some initial “technology issues” affecting detainees’ access to lawyers, but assured they have now been resolved, with access set to begin on Monday.

The state has more than doubled its capacity to arrest undocumented individuals, according to Larry Keefe, head of Florida’s State Board of Immigration Enforcement. More than 1,200 local deputies and 650 Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents now have federal credentials under the 287(g) program, allowing them to perform certain immigration enforcement duties.

“This is our moment,” Governor DeSantis said. “This is what we all campaigned on. Let’s get it done.”

However, the move faces fierce opposition. Democratic state lawmakers, civil liberties organizations, and environmental activists are pressing for greater accountability. State Rep. Anna Eskamani, who toured the facility, said her team is challenging the project from legal, humanitarian, and environmental angles.

Friends of the Everglades, an environmental group, has filed a federal lawsuit warning of an “Everglades catastrophe” due to the site’s development and influx of people.

While state officials maintain that the camp can withstand Category 2 hurricane winds, evacuation would be required for stronger storms—a major concern for families of detainees with the peak of hurricane season approaching.

Addressing concerns over medical care, officials say the facility includes a full-scale medical center with a resident doctor, nurse practitioners, and a complete medical team.

Still, critics say the state’s aggressive immigration approach relies too heavily on secrecy and harsh conditions.

“We will continue to challenge the unlawful and unconstitutional treatment of people held there,” said the ACLU, “Florida cannot rely on secrecy and cruelty as the foundation for its immigration policies.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE