Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appeared together on Tuesday to mark the opening of a new migrant detention center in the Everglades. The compound, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” is part of a broader initiative to expand deportations of undocumented migrants. The two Republican leaders presented a united front during their tour of the facility, despite previously strained relations.
The site, an abandoned airfield now transformed into a detention center, is surrounded by swamps and fierce reptiles. Trump asked DeSantis, “Ron worked beautifully with Kristi Noem and all of the people at Homeland Security and got it done in how many days, Ron?” DeSantis replied, “Eight days, a new facility was up and running.”
Trump, who had once seen DeSantis as a rival, praised the governor’s efforts. “I would say it’s a 10.
I think it’s a 10, maybe 9.9 because, you know, there might be a couple of little wounds,” Trump remarked. The detention center aims to process, detain, and deport undocumented migrants more efficiently. State Attorney General James Uthmeier explained that when completed, the facility will have beds for 1,000 “criminal aliens.”
DeSantis has taken an aggressive stance in aligning Florida with Trump’s immigration policies.
A new state law mandates local police agencies’ cooperation with federal immigration officials.
Trump and DeSantis showcase new facility
DeSantis described the new facility as a “one-stop shop” for immigration enforcement.
“This is going to be a force multiplier, and we’re happy to work with the federal government to satisfy President Trump’s mandate,” he said. Trump also praised DeSantis for his efforts to have Florida National Guard judge advocate generals deputized as immigration judges to expedite deportations. “Yes, he has my approval.
That wasn’t too hard to get,” Trump said. However, DeSantis’ ambitions to broaden his authority in immigration enforcement have faced resistance. Florida’s Republican-led legislature declined to pass legislation granting him the power to deport migrants using state resources.
Instead, lawmakers passed a more moderate immigration package crafted with input from the White House. As the 2024 Republican primary season heats up, the relationship between Trump and DeSantis remains complex. Despite past tensions, the two have maintained a friendly public rapport.
The opening of “Alligator Alcatraz” serves as a symbolic moment in their partnership, highlighting both the contentious and cooperative facets of their political relationship.
