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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A new plan is underway to convert a remote Everglades airstrip, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" for its isolated location surrounded by swamps and wildlife, into a migrant detention center.
However, questions have arisen on the feasibility of deportation flights taking off from the site.
"This is an existing airstrip that is already built and paved. U.S. DHS has approved this plan and indicated Florida is eligible for funding via reimbursement," the office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told Newsweek.
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"Big planes can land," Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, the mastermind behind the plan, told conservative commentator Benny Johnson. "We'll detain, deport and get people out of this country."
Experts told Newsweek that while states may cooperate with federal immigration authorities, they cannot independently detain or deport noncitizens—authority that rests solely with federal agencies like ICE and must adhere to constitutional protections.
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Why It Matters
The proposed detention facility is part of DeSantis' initiative to support President Donald Trump's pledge to launch the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. The facility, which is west of Miami and features a runway long enough to handle large aircraft, is in the national spotlight as officials consider expanding immigration enforcement infrastructure.
What To Know
"Individual states [Florida, in this case] do not have a right to remove noncitizens. ICE has this unique authority—though the removal must be done in full observation of the noncitizen's due process rights," Amelia Wilson assistant professor of law and director of the Immigration Justice Clinic at Pace University's Elisabeth Haub School of Law, told Newsweek.
"Alligator Alcatraz" sits on roughly 39 square miles of swamp west of Miami, its sole runway stretching about 10,499 feet—long enough to handle mid-sized jets and many wide-body aircraft.
By comparison, Miami International Airport's longest runway measures 13,016 feet, giving it the capacity to serve anything from regional turboprops to intercontinental airliners.
In practical terms, a 10,500-foot strip can support the Boeing 737 series often used on deportation charters, and even heavier planes like the C-17 Globemaster III, which needs less than 7,500 feet for takeoff at light loads.
Security and isolation are built in. The site lies miles from any urban center, encircled by swampland and wildlife, with natural barriers of alligators and pythons that state officials argue would deter escapes.
The notion of regular deportation flights from "Alligator Alcatraz" remains speculative—albeit technically feasible from a purely aeronautical standpoint.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has submitted a proposed State Immigration Enforcement Operations Plan to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, outlining how the state could assist with the detention, processing, and removal of individuals found to be in the country unlawfully, according to DeSantis' office.
As part of this initiative, FDEM has also proposed purchasing the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport to use as a facility for holding people subject to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers or final deportation orders.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the facility would be funded primarily through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's shelter and services program, which previously provided assistance to migrants.
What People Are Saying
Amelia Wilson assistant professor of law and director of the Immigration Justice Clinic at Pace University's Elisabeth Haub School of Law, told Newsweek: "ICE can use any airport that it deems appropriate. Typically, that airport is located nearest to the detention facility where the noncitizen is being held."
Office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told Newsweek: "Utilization of this facility for these purposes will not incur the removal of vegetation, additional paving, or permanent construction. On the existing airstrip, FDEM will utilize temporary buildings and shelters consistent with similar applications during natural disasters. Utilities such as water, sewage, and power will be facilitated by mobile equipment that will be removed at the completion of the mission."
Frank Nero, the former head of Miami-Dade's economic-development arm, the Beacon Council, told the Miami Herald: "There's no real infrastructure there."
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier told NewsNation: "Florida is leading in helping the Trump administration to enforce against illegal immigration. We have thousands of arrests taking place in the state, so jails are filling up. We're going to need some new detention sites. We're looking at a few options, but I think this one is ideal for several reasons: It's got an 11,000-foot runway, which makes it easy for large planes to come in and out. It's got a 30-square-mile radius on an abandoned airport that's already there—no longer in use by the public."
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava, in a statement: "Due to the location of this parcel in a critical area, the conveyance of this parcel requires considerable review and due diligence.
"It is also imperative that we fully understand the scope and scale of the proposed use of the site and what will be developed, as the impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating."
What Happens Next
In a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, last week, Uthmeier said that the project could be finished in 30 to 60 days and would have the capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 people.
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