Democrats will inspect Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center, citing safety, flooding, and rights concerns after Trump’s tour.

Lawmakers Respond to Alarming Reports at Florida Facility

Democratic state legislators will conduct an official inspection Thursday of “Alligator Alcatraz,” a newly constructed detention center for illegal immigrants located near the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. The visit comes in response to what lawmakers describe as a series of deeply troubling developments at the remote, state-run site.

Florida State Senators Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith, along with Representatives Anna Eskamani, Angie Nixon, and Michele Rayner, are set to examine the 30-square-mile facility, which is projected to house up to 5,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees and is reportedly guarded by alligators and pythons. Their visit follows a high-profile tour of the center by President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier this week.

Lawmakers cite reports of illegal immigrants being transferred to the site during severe rain, leading to flooding less than a week after the former airport facility opened. They argue that the environmental conditions and lack of emergency preparedness raise critical concerns about detainee safety in what they describe as an already volatile environment.

In a joint statement, the legislators condemned what they call a “makeshift detention camp of cruelty, rooted in a corrupt, no-bid, $450 million pay-for-play scheme to enrich GOP donors under the pretense of border enforcement.” They further asserted, “What we’re witnessing isn’t about security or solving problems — it’s about inhumane political theater that endangers real people.”

The group’s statement highlighted multiple issues: extreme heat, flooding, structural vulnerabilities, environmental threats, and alleged human rights violations. The lawmakers claim both legal authority and moral responsibility to demand answers and ensure oversight, warning that this facility could become the national blueprint for immigration detention if left unchecked.

The inspection comes as several environmental organizations have filed a federal lawsuit to pause construction, arguing that more time is needed to evaluate the potential ecological impact. The Department of Homeland Security previously dismissed such litigation as “lazy,” asserting that the land had been developed for years. The department did not provide additional comment ahead of the lawmakers’ visit.

The debate over Alligator Alcatraz underscores broader tensions about border enforcement, public accountability, and Florida’s political climate. Democrats argue that the focus on the facility is a distraction from issues like housing affordability and the state’s property insurance crisis, calling on Governor DeSantis to redirect his attention to everyday challenges facing Floridians.

The inspection follows similar confrontations elsewhere, including the recent arrest and release of Newark’s mayor during a protest at an ICE facility. As national scrutiny intensifies, advocates and lawmakers continue to press for transparency, environmental review, and protection of detainee rights at the controversial Florida site.