By Katheryn Olmos
Edited by Noah Green, Caryalyn Jean, Saedra Gurfinkel
“Ya no es miedo, es terror,” said the Mexican migrant woman who has been living in Northern Florida for over 20 years when asked about how she feels about the recently enacted anti-immigrant policies. Immigrants in Florida have long feared deportation. ICE has had full jurisdiction to expedite removals within the 100-mile border zone, which includes the whole state of Florida. While it’s not unusual for Floridians to encounter ICE, since January 2025, sightings have increased dramatically. Now, with the newly built detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz, sightings and fear have escalated even further.
Built in just 8 days, Alligator Alcatraz sits deep in the Florida Everglades, on the grounds of the abandoned Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport—an area infested with alligators and pythons. The plastic detention center consists of several tents, each containing metal cages and stacked bunk beds designed to contain 5,000 people. The first wave of migrants, whose exact number remains undisclosed, arrived during the first week of July 2025.
Where is the money coming from?
According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Alligator Alcatraz is funded “largely” by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program (SSP). In 2023, the SSP was created to support asylum seekers and refugees with emergency and short-term needs upon arrival in the U.S., including food and shelter.
Although funding for the new detention center does not come from FEMA’s disaster relief program, the sheer amount of money being funneled into facilities that subject migrants to torturous conditions has left many Americans outraged. In light of recent FEMA budget cuts under Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”, the federal government’s slow response to the devastating flood in Texas has only added fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has slashed funding for essential social programs while intensifying anti-immigrant policies. As the state’s housing crisis deepens, Floridians are responding with growing outrage, organizing protests and speaking out through public forums, media, and direct action.
One Florida construction worker stated, “With $450 million, we could have created 350,000 family homes.” For him, such an investment would not only boost the state’s economy but also strengthen its social infrastructure. Building more homes would not only create jobs, but it would also increase government revenue through increased property taxes and consumer spending.
Inhumane Conditions & Death
Within seven days of Alligator Alcatraz‘s “grand opening”, the surrounding Miccosukee Tribe reported seeing an ambulance leave the facility. Since there have been several reports of temperatures shifting from freezing to hot. Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL 10th district) visited Alligator Alcatraz alongside several other Florida representatives. He described the “cages” as “very hot,” and the only drinking water available came from the toilet. Frost describes the numerous yells for help coming from the encaged, even mentioning the yell from an “American citizen” which is to be investigated.
Those held in these cages are subjected to inhumane conditions—denied basic hygiene, forced to eat spoiled food, and drink toilet water—all while enduring the scorching heat of the Everglades. Our community members are being degraded and mistreated. At one point, a 15-year-old boy with no criminal record was briefly detained in “Alligator Alcatraz.” “That is no place for anyone, let alone a young boy,” said a Mexican migrant living in Florida.
The experiences at Alligator Alcatraz reflect similar conditions to those reported at Krome. Krome, a well-known detention center in South Florida, has experienced several deaths and reports of “inhumane conditions.”
A Mexican man detained in Florida described being forced to eat moldy, worm-infested food, with the only available water—used for both drinking and showering—scalding hot.
A Mexican man who was detained in Florida reported eating moldy, worm-infested foods, with the only water available for drinking and showering being scalding hot. These conditions, he said, weren’t just unsanitary—they were meant to humiliate. Stripped of any privacy, he was forced to defecate in plain view of fifty other men, all caged together like animals. He recalled how some tried to “hold it in” to avoid the humiliation, but eventually had no choice, risking illness if they didn’t. He was held for over 30 days. “I can’t imagine holding it in for a month,” he said.
Environmental Concerns
Alligator Alcatraz poses serious environmental and humanitarian risks. Built in the heart of the Everglades, a fragile and legally protected ecosystem, Alligator Alcatraz and its detainees faced harsh conditions from the start.. As the state continues to push forward, the environment will eventually bite back. The Everglades is home to many of Florida’s wild predators, including alligators, crocodiles, pythons, and venomous snakes. With its thick humidity it creates the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising public health concerns about disease transmission. While facility staff reportedly receive personal bottles of mosquito repellent, detained individuals are only sprayed once upon arrival, leaving them vulnerable for the duration of their internment.
The heat in the Everglades is relentless. Temperatures regularly climb between 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. One Central Florida resident described it plainly: “It’s so humid, it’s suffocating. We are in sauna status. It is so thick outside, it’s bad.” They continued, “I can’t imagine what it feels like in the Everglades—it’s literally a swamp.”
Among all U.S. states, Florida consistently reports the highest number of heat-related illnesses in the country, many of which result in emergency room visits and in some cases, death. Even without factoring in any other risks associated with the structure of Alligator Alcatraz, the heat alone within the Everglades has raised serious concerns. Governor Ron DeSantis stated that the camp includes a few large portable AC units, yet reports and first-hand accounts from Florida politicians who visited the camp measured temperatures of 83 degrees.
The Everglades is prone to hurricanes due to its location. Flooding issues from small amounts of rain occurred on opening day. As we approach another hurricane season, concerns are raised about the weather’s impact on the camp due to its location and weak foundation. One individual who has resided in Florida for over 20 years states, “Un huracan pasa y se lleva todo el campo con personas y todo” (“It takes one hurricane to hit and take the whole camp with people and everything”).
Conclusion
The Everglades is no place to hold individuals in detention—especially under the aggressive supervision of ICE. Built hastily in a fragile ecosystem, the facility cages thousands in brutal, sweltering conditions with little oversight and even less accountability. The risk of natural disasters, heat-related illness, and environmental degradation is imminent.
The damage extends beyond the fences of Alligator Alcatraz. Latinos and migrant residents who have not been detained live with constant psychological strain under the current anti-immigrant policies. A Mexican man in Florida described feeling constant paranoia in his day-to-day, including going to work, grocery shopping, and even just dining out. His friend recognized his symptoms of paranoia when he appeared visibly unsettled by a stranger glancing at him from across the room in a restaurant.
A Mexican woman in Florida stated, “Cuando pienso que ya esta lo peor, pasa otra cosa. Ahora ni nos podemos defender.” Migrant detainment in Florida has spiraled into unchecked lawlessness, with no regard for humanity or due process.
ICE and Florida officials are ripping communities and families apart, fueling public tensions and mass hysteria. As Florida residents face housing foreclosures, job insecurity, and climate disasters, they are left asking: How can hundreds of millions of dollars be poured into detaining community members, while the rest of the state crumbles?
Katheryn Olmos is the Research and Data Coordinator at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and a graduate student at the Sociology Research and Practice (SORP) program at American University.
Edited by Ernesto Castañeda, Director, and Saedra Gurfinkel, Carylyn Jean, and Noah Green, Research Interns at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and the Immigration Lab.