What is Alligator Alcatraz, and what does it look like?
Alligator Alcatraz, the immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, had a special visitor July 1 − President Donald Trump. It marked the first visit back to his home state in two months.
Championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Attorney General James Uthmeier, the state transformed the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee into Alligator Alcatraz in a quick turnaround (see below). Florida’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center was previously a 39-square-mile airport facility with a 10,500-foot runway to temporarily detain “illegal aliens.”
However, not everyone is on board with Alligator Alcatraz. Since ground broke at transforming the lone airport strip into the ICE detention center, environmental groups have protested against Alligator Alcatraz.
Some stats about Alligator Alcatraz, Florida’s ICE detention center, as of Tuesday, July 1, 2025, or “opening day”:
Below are videos of Alligator Alcatraz, including a tour of what it looks like, protesters who oppose the ICE detention center in the Florida Everglades, and what the airport site could have been.
Alligator Alcatraz: Video tour of ICE detention Center in Ochopee, Florida, including Trump visit
Trump takes shot at Biden during Alligator Alcatraz tour in Florida
Trump supporters at Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades
Alligator Alcatraz protests in Florida
Alligator Alcatraz video playlist of ICE detention center in Ochopee, Florida
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades: Videos of ICE detention center in Ochopee
Reporting by Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Naples Daily News
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