New signs, growing concerns as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ takes shape in Everglades

6 hours ago 8

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – As the archetypal question of migrant detainees prepares to arrive, Florida officials are finalizing operation connected what is being dubbed arsenic “Alligator Alcatraz.”

State workers person installed signs bearing the nickname extracurricular a makeshift detention halfway heavy successful the Everglades — conscionable steps distant from respective unrecorded alligators.

Heavy machinery and generators proceed to beryllium trucked successful arsenic crews contention to decorativeness the impermanent site, located wrong the Big Cypress portion of the Everglades ecosystem.

Environmental advocates accidental they’re disquieted astir what the installation could mean for the surrounding wetlands and wildlife.

“Eight cardinal Floridians trust connected the Everglades for their drinking water,” said Jessica Namath with Floridians for Public Lands.

Namath said the radical is particularly acrophobic astir the semipermanent biology cost.

“What happens erstwhile there’s debris flowing astir Big Cypress and we don’t person the funds to cleanable it up? What materials are they utilizing for these tents? Plastic, vinyls?” Namath asked.

Concerns escalated earlier this week erstwhile dense rainfall caused leaks successful immoderate of the tents and trailers astatine the site.

A spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management downplayed the impact, calling it minimal and saying repairs were made overnight to forestall aboriginal issues.

On Tuesday, erstwhile President Donald Trump visited the tract alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis and the caput of Homeland Security.

“A batch of cops and bodyguards successful the signifier of alligators,” Trump said during the visit.

Media were fixed a little look wrong the facility, which present features fenced-in sleeping areas, a cafeteria, and aesculapian tents.

The authorities has not said precisely however galore migrants volition beryllium housed astatine the tract oregon for however long.

Read the missive that the Everglades Coalition sent to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stating that the migrant detention halfway volition “threaten decades of Everglades restoration work”:

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