Migrant detention critiqued by Trump: "It's an unpleasant undertaking" - "Trump expresses dissatisfaction with migrant detention in swamps, stating it's an "unpleasant situation"."
The US government has officially opened a migrant detention centre in the Everglades, a vast subtropical wilderness in Florida, which has been informally dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz". The facility, located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport near Ochopee, is expected to house up to 5,000 people suspected of being undocumented immigrants.
The detention centre, designed as an "efficient and cost-effective way" to carry out President Donald Trump's planned mass deportations, has been the subject of controversy and debate. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has confirmed that the facility will be operational imminently, with plans for it to open by early July 2025.
The centre's remote location, surrounded by dangerous wildlife such as alligators and snakes, has been highlighted by Karoline Leavitt, Trump's spokesperson, as a deterrent to potential escapees. In a humorous twist, Trump himself joked about escape attempts, suggesting a zigzag pattern to increase chances.
The "Alligator Alcatraz" facility is part of a broader effort under President Trump’s administration to expand detention capacity and ramp up deportations. The estimated cost to Florida is approximately $450 million per year, with some funding potentially coming from FEMA's Shelter and Services Program.
Environmental groups and advocates have voiced concerns about the location and nature of the detention centre, with some questioning the wisdom of building such a facility in a sensitive wilderness area.
Intriguingly, Trump had previously announced his intention to reopen Alcatraz, the notorious prison off San Francisco, to house hardened criminals. Today, Alcatraz is under historic and natural preservation, making such a plan impossible.
As the detention centre in the Everglades becomes operational, it remains to be seen how it will impact the local environment, the migrants housed there, and the broader immigration debate in the United States.
The Commission might be asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation during the construction and operation of the migrant detention centre in the Everglades, given the presence of dangerous wildlife such as alligators and snakes.
Meanwhile, in the realm of general news, politics, war-and-conflicts, and crime-and-justice, the immigration debate in the United States continues to escalate, with President Trump's administration's broad effort to expand detention capacity and ramp up deportations remaining a contentious issue.
