• Donald Trump inaugurated the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention facility in Florida's Everglades.
• The facility is designed to house up to 5,000 migrants, using the region's swampy landscape as a deterrent to escapes.
• Critics raise concerns over human rights implications and environmental damage to a sensitive ecosystem.
• Trump made light-hearted comments about alligators guarding the facility and the nature of immigration enforcement.
• The project has sparked protests from environmentalists and local Indigenous communities.

Donald Trump officially inaugurated the new immigrant detention facility, nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz', located deep in the Florida Everglades, surrounded by dangerous wildlife including alligators and pythons. On July 1, Trump, accompanied by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, claimed the facility's unique location would deter escape attempts, stating, "the only way out is deportation," and joking about teaching detainees how to escape from alligators, declaring, "Your chances go up about 1%," according to Al Jazeera, BBC, and Le Monde.

Constructed in a record eight days, the facility is set to accommodate up to 5,000 migrants, a dramatic increase from initial estimates. Trump promoted the site as a "template for what [he] would like to do nationwide," suggesting similar facilities could be established in various states. This detention center, built on the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, has cost around $450 million annually, funded largely by programs intended for disaster relief, according to TRT Global and India Times.

However, this facility has faced substantial criticism regarding its potential human rights violations, particularly as many detainees are asylum seekers or visa overstayers, challenging the framing of these individuals as “some of the most vicious people on the planet” as stated by Trump. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and various local Indigenous groups, argue this facility symbolizes a dehumanizing approach to immigration policy, exploiting vulnerable populations while risking significant environmental damage to the fragile Everglades ecosystem, according to HuffPost and South China Morning Post.

Protests erupted outside the facility as local residents and advocacy groups criticized the project's construction, expressing concerns about its impact on nearby Indigenous communities and the ecosystem. Betty Osceola, a member of the Miccosukee community, articulately expressed fears about the permanent nature of the detention center and the threat it poses to local wildlife and cultural heritage, noting the site has not undergone thorough environmental assessments, according to HuffPost and India Times.

The Trump administration's hardline immigration stance and the construction of Alligator Alcatraz reflect a broader agenda of aggressive enforcement, even as the potential for legal challenges to the facility’s construction looms due to environmental concerns and human rights implications. With immigration advocates vowing to fight the establishment of such detention centers, the issue remains highly contentious and politically charged, highlighting the continuing debate over immigration policy in the United States, according to South China Morning Post and Le Monde.