Trump said Alligator Alcatraz was built for the ‘most vicious people on the planet’ — but hundreds of detainees have no criminal record
Alligator Alcatraz report disputes Trump’s claim that it would detain the “most menacing migrants”
- A temporary immigration detention facility, Alligator Alcatraz, in the Florida Everglades, is holding over 700 people, many of whom do not have criminal records or pending charges in the U.S.
- This contradicts claims made by Donald Trump that the facility would house “the most vicious people on the planet” or “most menacing migrants.”
- A preliminary review found that only one-third of detainees had criminal convictions, with around 250 held for civil immigration violations.
- Conditions at the facility, which was quickly converted from an abandoned airport, have drawn criticism from lawmakers and the public, with reports of maggot-infested food, lack of bathing water, and detainees being held in cramped, cage-like conditions.
- Despite low public support and evidence contradicting his claims, Donald Trump's administration maintains its commitment to mass deportations, arguing that illegal entry itself is a crime and some detainees may have foreign criminal records.