Alaska jokes about surrounding migrant detention centers with bears while Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” prepares to open for business, showing Republicans are finally taking border security seriously—with a side of wildlife.
In a humorous response to Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility, Alaska officials quipped about creating their own “Bear Alcatraz” for illegal migrants. While Florida moves forward with its $450 million facility designed to house 5,000 detainees amid pythons and alligators, Alaska clarified that their bear-surrounded detention center was merely a joke. This lighthearted exchange comes as the Trump administration pushes Republican states to establish detention facilities to support the largest deportation operation in American history, highlighting how states are responding to the White House’s call for assistance in addressing the immigration crisis.
Florida Takes the Lead with “Alligator Alcatraz”
Only Florida would think to combine two of America’s greatest challenges—illegal immigration and invasive reptiles—into one solution. The aptly named “Alligator Alcatraz” is no joke, folks. President Trump recently toured this $450 million facility built on a decades-old landing strip in the Everglades. The detention center at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee is surrounded by—you guessed it—alligators and pythons, making it perhaps the most Florida solution to anything ever conceived. And they’re dead serious about it.
During his visit, Trump didn’t mince words about the facility’s purpose, explaining that it will soon house “some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet.” The center, funded through FEMA’s Shelter and Services program, will detain individuals under both state immigration measures and those transferred by ICE. This comes as part of the president’s broader deportation agenda, which received a $150 billion boost over four years from the Senate’s recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Finally, a government expenditure that might actually solve a problem!
Alaska’s Bear-y Funny Response
Not to be outdone in the creativity department, Alaska responded to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller’s call for states to establish detention facilities with some classic northern humor. “We don’t have alligators, but we have lots of bears,” quipped Alaskan officials, suggesting their own “Bear Alcatraz” concept. Unlike Florida, however, Alaska quickly clarified that there are no serious plans for such a facility. Shame, really—I was looking forward to illegal migrants trying to escape through bear country.
“We don’t have alligators, but we have lots of bears. I am not aware of any plans for an Alaska version of Alligator Alcatraz.”
Alaska, which Trump won with 55% of the vote in 2024, seems content to let Florida take the lead on innovative detention solutions. But their humorous response does highlight how states are reacting differently to Miller’s urgent call to action: “Every governor of a red state, if you are watching tonight: Pick up the phone, call DHS, work with us to build facilities in your state so we can get the illegals and criminals out.” Some states build alligator prisons; others make bear jokes. I guess that’s federalism at work.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Gets Real
Beyond the wildlife-themed detention facilities, President Trump is backing up his campaign promises with serious action. During his Florida visit, Trump cited statistics claiming that “the average illegal alien costs American taxpayers an estimated $70,000″—a figure from the Center for Immigration Studies. The president’s determination to address the immigration crisis is evident in his push for what he calls “the largest mass deportation operation in US history.” Finally, a president who doesn’t just talk about border security but actually builds the infrastructure to make it happen.
“It’s known as Alligator Alcatraz, which is very appropriate because I looked outside and that’s not a place I want to go hiking. But very soon, this facility will house some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet.”
Trump also didn’t hold back on criticizing the previous administration’s border policies, stating: “We have a lot of bad criminals that came into the country. … It was an unforced error. It was an incompetent president that allowed it to happen. It was an autopen, maybe, that allowed it to happen.” While the left-leaning Congressional Budget Office claims the Biden-era immigration increase had a positive economic impact, the social, security, and cultural costs have been devastating to American communities. And let’s be honest—does anyone really believe illegal immigration is boosting our economy?
The Future of Immigration Enforcement
As states respond to the federal government’s call for detention facilities, it’s clear that a new era of immigration enforcement has begun. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, the architect behind “Alligator Alcatraz,” is leading the charge with a facility expected to receive its first detainees imminently. The Florida facility will be operated by the state’s Division of Emergency Management, utilizing their declared immigration emergency—because when millions of people illegally cross your border, that is indeed an emergency, despite what Democrats might say.
While Alaska’s “Bear Alcatraz” may remain a humorous footnote in the ongoing immigration debate, the serious efforts by Florida and other states demonstrate that Republicans are finally taking concrete steps to address illegal immigration. With President Trump, Governor DeSantis, and Homeland Security Secretary Noem personally inspecting Florida’s detention center, the message is clear: The days of catch-and-release are over. Whether surrounded by alligators in Florida or (hypothetically) bears in Alaska, illegal migrants are on notice that America is finally enforcing its laws. And if that requires a little help from our wildlife friends, so be it.
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