A.G. Gancarski
Florida’s Governor continues to reject environmental and local concerns about Alligator Alcatraz.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Marco Island event that there won’t be adverse impacts to the Everglades. He’s also not concerned about what Collier County thinks about the quick process to construct the prison for migrants ahead of deportation on the edge of the Everglades at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.
Noting that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is “not ready yet” to handle warehousing illegal immigrants ahead of deportation, DeSantis rebutted concerns about the “one-stop shop.”
“This is an existing airport. It’s an existing concrete. They’re not doing anything outside of a footprint they show, and they have a lot of great plans for how to handle everything that happens. And so that’s just not an issue,” DeSantis said.
Because the structure existed already, DeSantis is confident that the enhancements won’t adversely impact wetlands nearby.
“There’s concrete, there’s like a fence line, and they’re doing the operations. They take the wastewater out and they truck it out, they bring in potable water, and that’s just how they manage it,” DeSantis said.
“The fact that they had this facility there, or the runway and everything there, was the reason why we did it. We would not have created this out of whole cloth.”
The Governor was also unstinting in defending the state government’s prerogative to stand up the facility despite Collier County officials being “blindsided” by the project, according to The Associated Press.
“My administration had a job to do, and they did it. And they didn’t twiddle their thumbs. They didn’t sit on their hands. They constructed a processing and deportation facility in a week. How many other places, other states, would have been able to get that done?” DeSantis said.
“They were mission focused. They did it. I think that they didn’t want to be in a situation where they were delaying. They wanted to get the job done, and the job is getting done.”
Yet DeSantis believes the “job” won’t be permanent.
“(Once) DHS gets to a point where they’re able to handle this, then clearly, you know, that’s their core responsibility,” DeSantis explained.
“But I know they’re not ready yet. I hope they’ll be ready relatively soon, but that’s why we did it, because they do not have the capacity to be able to process these illegal aliens and put them for an easy deportation.”
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Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Reporting with permission.
11 comments
Daytona Don
July 18, 2025 at 12:19 pm
A big job cleaning up the mess the previous incompetent administration left behind.
Frankie M.
July 18, 2025 at 12:27 pm
But at what a price? Might as well them up at the Hilton in a $400 room for what you’re paying. At least you wouldn’t have to hire an outside vendor to clean the rooms. They’re already working there. These fiscal CONservatives don’t care how much these publicity stunts cost the taxpayers.
Daytona Don
July 18, 2025 at 12:36 pm
What was / is the cost of the millions that Biden, Harris, and Mayorkas let in?
Michael K
July 18, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Yep: A $450 million stunt – paid for by all of us, with most of that going to DeSantis donors – not to mention the spectacle of pain and human suffering – the circus MAGAs seem to enjoy.
Daytona Don
July 18, 2025 at 4:29 pm
the Biden / Harris / Mayors stunt will cost a lot more than that. Funny how all of you Dems said nothing could be done at the border until new legislation is passed. Two months in a row of ZERO allowed in.
Michael K
July 20, 2025 at 4:08 pm
What about Miss Spoke and her 600 names? Defend the felon for once, Peachy.
Michael K
July 20, 2025 at 4:08 pm
What about Miss Spoke and her 600 names? Defend the felon for once, Peachy.
stupid is as stupid does
July 19, 2025 at 10:52 am
From what I have read, local officials were kept in the dark about this boondoggle. Such a lack of respect is typical for autocrats. Are we to understand that prisoners are staff are not going to require local services such as EMS and firefighters? The trash and waste water are going where? What if there’s a riot? What if someone escapes by stealing a car from a contractor? I’m of the view that local officials know their jurisdiction better than State bureaucrats and it’s just stupid to establish such a jail without consultation with them. Our tax dollars at work for another dog and pony show like the private flights to Martha’s Vineyard. I am disgusted and appalled by Rona DeSatan and his stooges!
MasonsMom
July 19, 2025 at 3:21 pm
What about the white inner circle alien from St John’s County who committed espionage and sexually exploited my grandson? Contact James Ultimier for details on the interstate case.
MH/Duuuval
July 20, 2025 at 4:55 pm
“‘mess the previous incompetent administration left behind.”
Peachy already forgave and forgot W’s two wars and occupations, neither of which was justified.
DeSantis is a Butthead
July 21, 2025 at 9:29 am
Wrong for so many reasons. people do not deserve to sit on a landing strip in tents in the middle of the everglades. There is a better way to go about immigration and deporting people. On another note, the environmental impact that all of this will have on the Everglades is horrible. DeSantis and this administration lies.
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