People go crazy online after Florida Gov. DeSantis visits “Alligator Alcatraz”: “How I wish I had a home in FL”
Florida – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis set off a firestorm of reactions online after unveiling “Alligator Alcatraz,” the state’s new immigration detention and deportation center located deep in the Florida Everglades. Supporters say the facility, which was officially opened at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, is a bold answer to what they call a growing immigration crisis. Critics, on the other hand, dispute its huge size and cost.
DeSantis, accompanied by former President Donald Trump, shared photos and updates from his visit to the site on social media, where he wrote, “Welcomed @POTUS to Florida today for a tour of Alligator Alcatraz, Florida’s one-stop shop for staging illegal aliens for deportation..”
He pointed out that the center, which can accommodate up to 3,000 inmates, was set up in just a few days to make deportation efforts more effective. DeSantis spoke about how useful the site was by pointing out the facility’s two-mile runway, which he said was a critical feature that let federal planes fly inmates directly out of the country.
Online, reactions to DeSantis’ announcement quickly poured in. One user wrote, “You are the Gold Standard,” while another commented, “Great job, now let’s get to deporting.” Others compared Florida’s efforts to Texas, challenging officials there to “step up your game.” Many praised the partnership between DeSantis and Trump, with posts like, “Gov. D. – The American People luv when you and 45-47 are together getting things done for the country.”
Thank you, Florida, for Alligator Alcatraz. National Guard immigration judges are genius.
— exnihil0010 (@exnihil0010) July 2, 2025
@MalinaHavelock wrote: “How I wish I had a home in FL. It represents everything I love, admire and respect. NJ is more miserable by the day. Too liberal and costly without benefit.”
How I wish I had a home in FL. It represents everything I love, admire and respect. NJ is more miserable by the day. Too liberal and costly without benefit.
— Barb 🇺🇸💞 (@MalinaHavelock) July 2, 2025
In an earlier interview with Fox News host Steve Doocy at the site, DeSantis stated that the project was a reaction to the problems with current facilities, which he said are not big enough to handle the growing amount of deportation orders.
“We have jails…but that’s not enough, and so there needs to be more ability to intake, process and then deport. This answers that,” DeSantis said, gesturing toward the new compound.
He went on to say that the site’s infrastructure, such as portable bathrooms and medical facilities, was built using technology that was originally meant for hurricane responses. DeSantis said that these resources were allocated to help the new immigration center and make sure that inmates have access to basic needs like air conditioning and medical care as they wait to be removed.
People are questioning the high cost of building Alligator Alcatraz, which is said to cost over $450 million a year. DeSantis, on the other hand, defended the cost by stating that federal reimbursements will help cover it. Supporters say the center is an essential strategy to deal with what they consider as an extraordinary rise in undocumented immigrants. Some people on social media have praised the National Guard’s role in running the facility, particularly the use of immigration judges to speed up the process.
The argument over Florida’s harsh immigration enforcement policy is getting stronger as the complex gets ready to house its first detainees. At the moment, Alligator Alcatraz is both a symbol of the state’s tough position on immigration and a topic of contention in the national debate over immigration policy. Many Floridians and DeSantis supporters have praised the project online, but some are still unsure about the long-term expenses and humanitarian effects of such a large-scale detention operation.
