Twenty-four House Democrats have called on the Trump administration to close down “Alligator Alcatraz,” a brand-new illegal alien detention facility built in the Florida Everglades.
Led by Democratic Reps. Janelle Bynum (OR) and Maxwell Frost (FL), the House Democrats demanded that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons shut the facility down.
In the letter, the lawmakers called the facility an “inhumane stunt.”
“This remote swamp is notorious for oppressive heat, relentless humidity, severe storms, and perilous terrain infested with venomous snakes, disease-carrying insects, and large predatory wildlife, including alligators and crocodiles,” they wrote. “The intentional remote placement of this detention center makes it nearly impossible for separated family members and children to visit their detained loved ones, legal counsel to meet with their clients, and elected officials to provide oversight of the encampment. The deliberate placement of vulnerable immigrants into such a hostile and lethal environment is morally reprehensible, inherently cruel, and starkly violates basic humanitarian standards.”
That’s not all. In the letter, the Democrats wrote, “the vast majority of individuals navigating our broken immigration system have not committed any crimes, and this inhumane treatment is unjustifiable by any measure.” It appears that our own Democratic lawmakers aren’t aware that it’s a crime to illegally cross the border.
The letter included a list of demands, from closing down “Alligator Alcatraz” altogether to providing accounting of the federal funds being used for the facility (via House.gov):
Given these serious concerns, we demand that your departments:
1. Immediately suspend construction and all planning activities related to the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility.
2. Provide a detailed, transparent accounting of federal funds reallocated to this project, including FEMA’s role and rationale behind the diversion of Shelter and Services Program funds.
3. Publicly disavow the cruel use of hostile environments as a method of immigration deterrence.
4. Explicitly state whether the tents immigrants will be housed in have air conditioning, running potable water, and flushing toilets.
5. Commit to the humane treatment of detainees at all detention facilities, and ensure this standard is upheld through regular, unannounced inspections conducted by appropriate oversight entities, such as the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), and by facilitating access for independent bodies like the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), including at privately operated or contracted facilities.
Alligator Alcatraz opened on Tuesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit.
🚨 ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ OPENS TUESDAY: Any Illegal Alien that escapes will have to travel through the SWAMP and try to avoid GATORS & PYTHONS!
— Publius (@OcrazioCornPop) June 27, 2025
IS THIS WHAT YOU VOTED FOR OR IS IT TOO HARSH? pic.twitter.com/DiwXgbK5TE