Tipsheet

Trump, Noem Tour Alligator Alcatraz: 'Not a Place I Want to Go Hiking Anytime Soon'

Sarah Arnold
Sarah Arnold  |  July 01, 2025 5:30 PM

President Donald Trump and  Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem touched down in Florida on Tuesday to visit Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) “Alligator Alcatraz”— a new detention center surrounded by natural barriers, including alligators and pythons to keep illegal immigrants secured in one spot with nowhere to run as they await to be deported. 

Trump praised DeSantis’s efforts in his bold action to address the ongoing immigration crisis, saying he has done a “fantastic job.” The president also told the governor that he and Attorney General Pam Bondi would approve  Florida's request to use the state’s National Guardsmen as immigration judges, which will expedite deportations. 

Alligator Alcatraz is a newly constructed federal facility with 3,000 beds, located adjacent to a deportation airstrip to expedite the removal process. The site features multiple large white tents, each serving a specific purpose—one for intake and processing, another for food service, and a third for legal consultations. Governor Noem assured that staff needs haven’t been overlooked, with amenities like showers and laundry facilities in place to support personnel during operations. Governor DeSantis added that the facility will undergo at least six thorough sweeps for contraband and weapons before it becomes operational.

While visiting, President Trump took a jab at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), calling the state a “disaster” and suggesting he take notes from Florida’s leadership.

“They don’t do this out there. They don’t know where to begin. And if they did, it’d cost 100 times more,” Trump said. 

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While “Alligator Alcatraz” may sound like a nightmare for those in the country illegally, Trump and Noem offered a simple message: “No one has to come here illegally.” They emphasized that if individuals choose to self-deport and return home, they still have the option to come back—legally.

Trump noted that since the start of his second term, many illegal immigrants have chosen to self-deport. Noem added that those who think they can evade ICE will be sent to "Alligator Alcatraz," warning they’ll lose any chance of ever returning to the United States.

The president announced that thanks to the "incredible Border Patrol agents," the U.S. has the "lowest level of daily border crossings ever recorded." 

He noted that in June, the number of illegal aliens who entered the United States was zero.