Protests continue over the construction of 'Alligator Alcatraz' in the Everglades

Pedro Portal, Milena Malaver, Miami Herald on Jun 28, 2025

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MIAMI — Hundreds of people gathered in the heart of the Everglades on Saturday — signs raised and chants echoing — to protest “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center being built on a former airstrip in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Demonstrators lined both sides of the narrow two-way road leading to the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a remote landing strip just north of Tamiami Trail. The site, located in Miami-Dade County, is where Attorney General James Uthmeier and Gov. Ron DeSantis have expedited construction of the controversial facility. According to officials, supply trucks have been arriving daily to have the center operational by next week.

Dozens of trucks carrying supplies could be seen going in and out of the facility on Saturday as protesters waved their signs towards them.

Signs included “Protect the sacred” and “Everglades Only,” while others called the construction of the detention center “Crimes against humanity.”

Described by authorities as “temporary,” the 1,000-bed facility will primarily consist of large tents and trailers, designed to detain undocumented immigrants apprehended in Florida and beyond.

Since the announcement, the project has faced sharp criticism from Indigenous leaders, environmental groups and members of the South Florida community. They argue that the detention center will damage critical wetlands, disrupt wildlife habitats, and undermine decades of restoration work.

At the forefront of Saturday’s demonstration was Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee tribe member and activist, who was raised in Big Cypress.

The protest was promoted as a “peaceful demonstration letting Florida leaders know this land is sacred and must be protected, not destroyed.”

Osceola kept a sharp eye on protesters, specifically a group that at certain points were standing close to the entrance gate, where trucks were coming in and out. She could be heard telling the group that if they were planning on blocking the gate, then it would be best for them to leave.

Osceola later told reporters that she is alarmed at the speed of construction on the detention center, especially when many people still recovering from past hurricanes haven’t received comparable support or resources.

She was troubled by the sheer amount of resources being funneled into the project and voiced concern about its environmental impact, warning that it could pave the way for permanent development on the land.

On Friday, two environmental organizations — Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity — filed a lawsuit against federal, state, and county officials, alleging that construction began without proper environmental review or public input, in violation of required procedures.

“This planet is for everyone, the water is for everyone, the air is for everyone, and we’re trying to educate about that,” Osceola said.

Osceola used a megaphone to address the crowd and referred to the protesters as being part of the “rainbow tribe.”

“We need to keep that rainbow together so that there can be a tomorrow,” Osceola told the crowd as they cheered. “But if we let them divide us, and there’s no more rainbow, there won’t be a tomorrow.”