“Alligator Alcatraz” – DeSantis Pushes Migrant Detention Camp Into Sacred Tribal Lands in Everglades
BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, FL — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration is barreling ahead with the construction of a controversial immigration detention compound deep in the Everglades — on sacred Native American homelands — drawing sharp condemnation from tribal leaders, environmentalists, and civil rights advocates across the state.
Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” by locals and critics, the planned facility is taking shape at a remote airstrip in the Big Cypress National Preserve, about 45 miles west of Miami. The site is owned by Miami-Dade County but lies within ancestral lands long claimed by the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes of Florida, as well as the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.
A Detention Camp in the Swamp
Eyewitnesses including activist Jessica Namath reported on Thursday that dump trucks, fill dirt, and portable generators were streaming into the area, along with heavy-duty tents and trailers. The compound — which state officials say could hold up to 1,000 migrants — is being built with emergency oversight and zero public hearings.
While the Florida Division of Emergency Management, one of the lead agencies on the project, has declined to comment, the Florida National Guard confirmed plans to deploy up to 100 soldiers to the site starting July 1 for security and logistical support.
“This mission is open-ended. We’ll be on the ground for as long as the governor needs us,” said Guard spokesperson Brittianie Funderburk.
State officials have dismissed concerns about the remote location, with one unnamed official telling media the site is “ideal” because there’s “not much out there but alligators and pythons.”
“We Live Here. Our Ancestors Are Buried Here.”
That characterization has provoked outrage from tribal leaders, who say the governor is not only ignoring centuries of Native sovereignty — he’s desecrating it.
“The Big Cypress is part of us, and we are a part of it,” wrote Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress. “Our ancestors fought and died here. They are buried here.”
Cypress emphasized that the area is still home to 15 remaining tribal villages, as well as ceremonial sites, burial grounds, and sacred cultural landmarks. In 2024, he testified before Congress to defend the land from encroachment, warning that even small infrastructure projects can irreversibly damage the ecosystem and cultural heritage.
Other Indigenous voices, like activist Betty Osceola, are calling on Floridians to join a demonstration scheduled for this Saturday at the site to protest what they call an “invasion of sacred land.”
“This place became our refuge in time of war,” Osceola wrote on social media. “It provides us a place to continue our culture and traditions. It should be protected, not destroyed.”
Spectacle Over Substance?
DeSantis and his allies argue the detention site is a bold response to migrant influxes, part of a broader campaign to align Florida with Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda. But critics say the project is more performative than practical — and dangerously reckless.
“To have alligators and pythons be the security guards, only someone who’s never spent time in the swamp would ever say something like that,” said Garrett Stuart, an Everglades resident who lives just three miles from the airfield.
“They’re not guard dogs. They’re part of the ecosystem — and they’re terrified of humans.”
Stuart, like many in the region, worries that the facility not only threatens wildlife and water quality but also sends a dangerous message about how far state officials will go to score political points.
Billions at Risk
In recent years, the Everglades have received billions in state and federal investment as part of long-term restoration efforts aimed at protecting one of the planet’s most unique and fragile ecosystems. Scientists warn that building a compound to detain migrants in the heart of the preserve could undo decades of progress.
There is currently no environmental impact assessment publicly available for the site, and it remains unclear whether the state secured tribal consultation or federal clearance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — a legal requirement for projects of this magnitude on protected lands.
The Bigger Picture
“Alligator Alcatraz” is quickly becoming a national flashpoint in the debate over immigration, Indigenous rights, and executive power. For critics, it’s a symbol of what happens when political optics override legal process, cultural respect, and environmental responsibility.
“Florida has a long history of displacing Native people,” said one advocate. “This just happens to be the most high-tech and militarized version we’ve seen in a while.”
As the compound nears completion, the question remains: Is this about border security, or political theater at the expense of the state’s soul?
