Florida has started constructing a new migrant detention centre deep in the Everglades, a remote wetland known for its treacherous wildlife, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to expand detention capacity.
Construction began on Tuesday for a temporary migrant detention facility in Florida’s Everglades, unofficially dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" due to its isolated and hazardous location. The project is part of a broader push by President Donald Trump’s administration to increase detention and deportation of migrants amid rising numbers in federal custody.
Footage aired by a local NBC affiliate showed initial construction activity, including the setup of large tents and staff trailers. According to Florida officials, the facility will rely on the natural defences of the Everglades—an area populated by alligators, crocodiles, and pythons—for perimeter security, reducing the need for heavy infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the facility, which could cost $450 million annually, is projected to hold up to 5,000 people once fully operational. An initial capacity of 1,000 people could be reached within 30 to 60 days, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a recent video statement.
The number of migrants in federal immigration detention has surged from 39,000 to 56,000 since Trump returned to office. In response, DHS has allocated emergency funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s shelter and services programme—normally reserved for natural disasters—to finance much of the Everglades project.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) typically pays $165 per detainee per day, but the Everglades facility will cost around $247 per person per day if it reaches its full capacity.
The use of disaster relief funds for detention purposes has drawn criticism in the past, but DHS argues that the measure is necessary due to what it describes as a national-level immigration emergency.
A Kenyan court has sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison over the deaths of 190 children in one of the country's worst cu...
Two people, including a child, were killed and 16 others injured when an intercity bus crashed in eastern France on Friday morning, authorities con...
Ukraine is racing to avert a nationwide blackout as Russian missile and drone attacks intensify ahead of winter, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy...
Romanian authorities said late on Thursday that two additional planes had received bomb threats including a KLM flight to Tel Aviv that had a layover in Bucharest.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has blamed the war with Iran for the Republicans' defeat in the 2026 midterm elections, arguing that voters who supported President Donald Trump in 2024 turned to the Democrats because of foreign policy and economic concerns.
The war between Russia and Ukraine continued to claim civilian lives this week even as diplomatic activity intensified ahead of planned peace discussions in Abu Dhabi.
A British healthcare worker who contracted Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being transferred to the United Kingdom for specialist medical care, according to British authorities.
Elon Musk was not on the ballot in Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, but he emerged as one of the biggest losers after Democrats swept to victory, threatening his political influence and exposing his business empire to greater scrutiny.
A Kenyan court has sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison over the deaths of 190 children in one of the country's worst cult-related tragedies.
Two people, including a child, were killed and 16 others injured when an intercity bus crashed in eastern France on Friday morning, authorities confirmed.
Ukraine is racing to avert a nationwide blackout as Russian missile and drone attacks intensify ahead of winter, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning that every power plant has been damaged.
Pope Leo XIV has started a 12-day tour of South America, just weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. He will visit Argentina, Peru and Uruguay as part of the trip.
Germany is deploying around 1,800 troops and more than 750 vehicles to Lithuania for a major military exercise aimed at testing its ability to rapidly reinforce NATO’s eastern flank amid security concerns over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment