Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed the state’s commitment to supporting President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, including the development of a large detention facility in the Everglades, as reported by Newsmax.
The proposed site — referred to by some as “Alligator Alcatraz” — would hold illegal immigrants awaiting deportation under federal law.
Plans call for converting the 17,000-acre Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, located west of Miami, into a detention center.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has signed off on the project, though it has faced pushback from Democrats in Florida and on Capitol Hill.
Uthmeier addressed critics during an interview on Newsmax’s Carl Higbie FRONTLINE Wednesday, responding specifically to members of Congress who oppose the facility.
“I tell you, AOC and some of these communist members of Congress, if they want to come and cry in front of this detention center, good luck finding it. It’s right in the middle of the Everglades,” Uthmeier said.
He added that Florida leadership is following directives from Governor Ron DeSantis to do “anything possible to help President [Donald] Trump detain and deport illegal immigrants.”
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Uthmeier defended the proposal and cited recent law enforcement actions that he says reflect the need for tougher immigration controls.
“Just last week we pulled more MS-13 members off the streets in Orlando. The week before, I announced a lifetime conviction of a criminal alien sex trafficker,” Uthmeier said.
He credited President Trump for reversing what he characterized as years of federal inaction.
“Thank God we have a president that’s enforcing the law, that’s protecting American families. And we’re going to do everything we can to help him,” he said.
I joined @willcain on @FoxNews to discuss Alligator Alcatraz. pic.twitter.com/hjMpuDzslB
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 25, 2025
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While opponents of the plan accuse state Republicans of overreach, supporters argue that the facility will serve as a much-needed resource to combat illegal immigration and reduce crime linked to transnational gangs and trafficking networks.
The detention facility is expected to operate under both state and federal oversight and may become a model for similar initiatives in other border states. The timeline for construction has not yet been finalized.
The Dade-Collier site was originally built as a training airport and is located deep within the Florida Everglades, far from major urban areas.
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