Democrat Miami-Dade mayor steamed about ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ ICE detention facility

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava slammed Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s proposal to create an illegal alien detention facility in the alligator and snake-infested swamps of the Everglades.

Dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by Uthmeier, the holding facility would be a temporary home for criminal illegals awaiting deportation as the state carries out President Donald J. Trump’s tough new immigration policies to rid the country of dangerous foreign thugs imported during the Biden administration.

Alligator Alcatraz: the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. pic.twitter.com/96um2IXE7U

— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 19, 2025

The repurposing of the nearly abandoned Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport would seem to be a perfect location with the natural habitat of the reptiles serving as an ideal deterrent to any ideas to escape, but the Democrat mayor is looking to gum up the works.

“Due to the location of this parcel in a critical area, the conveyance of this parcel requires considerable review and due diligence,” Levine Cava wrote in a Monday letter to Florida Executive Director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie.

“It is also imperative that we fully understand the scope and scale of the proposed use of the site and what will be developed, as the impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating,” Levine Cava said.

The site would hold 1,000 illegal aliens and could be up and running in the next month.

“It will be open the first week in July,” Uthmeier said in an interview with a conservative podcaster, according to the Miami Herald. “We will have some light infrastructure, a lot of heavy-duty tent facilities, and trailer facilities. We don’t need to build a lot of brick and mortar.”

(Video Credit: CBS Miami)

“The mayor clearly laid out several concerns regarding the proposed use of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT) in a letter to the state detailing specific questions and requesting additional information as part of our due diligence,” said Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of the Mayor Rachel Johnson, according to CBS News Miami.

“In particular, the county has significant concerns about the environmental impacts on the Everglades, which is the source of our clean drinking water and the cornerstone of our regional economy, and we requested a detailed analysis and report on the environmental impacts of this facility to the Everglades ecosystem,” Johnson continued.

“We further requested the opportunity for an updated appraisal and a deeper financial analysis to make sure we maximize the value of this public asset on behalf of Miami-Dade taxpayers – given the amount offered is $20 million whereas the most recent appraisal puts the total value of the site at at least $190 million,” she said.

“Efficient. Low-cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility because you don’t need to invest that much into the perimeter,” Uthmeier said of the proposed “Alligator Alcatraz” in a video posted to X. “People, get out. There’s not much waiting for them, other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.”

On Monday, the attorney general announced that the plan had been “approved” by the federal government.

“While we understand that the Attorney General has stated that federal approvals have been received for the project, we have not yet received a response from the state to the County’s letter,” Johnson said.