Fact Check: Florida AG James Uthmeier proposed 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center. Here's the video
Claim:
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed the creation of a detention center for migrants called "Alligator Alcatraz."
Rating:
Posts that circulated on social media in June 2025 claimed that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed the creation of an ICE detention center in the Everglades to be called "Alligator Alcatraz."
For example, on June 19, 2025, a TikTok user shared a video (archived) with overlaid text that read: "BREAKING: FLORIDA PROPOSES CREATING AN ICE DETENTION CENTER CALLED THE ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ, A PRISON IN THE EVERGLADES."
In the video, the TikTok user said, in part:
The Florida attorney general is proposing the creation of the "Alligator Alcatraz" to assist with deportation efforts. Yes, the "Alligator Alcatraz," which is a new prison facility that they would build in the Everglades — miles away from any nearest airport — that would be surrounded by literally the alligators and the pythons in Alligator Alley in the Everglades.
Similar claims made the rounds on X (archived) and Facebook (archived).
(Courtesy of Donald Trump for President on Facebook)
Snopes readers also searched our website for information about the "Alligator Alcatraz" proposal.
It is true that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed a detention center for migrants called "Alligator Alcatraz." He posted a video detailing plans for such a facility on his verified X (archived) and Facebook (archived) accounts on June 19, 2025, and previously discussed the proposal during a segment (archived) with "Fox Business."
On June 19, 2025, Uthmeier shared (archived) a 1-minute, 6-second video detailing the proposal captioned, "Alligator Alcatraz: the one-stop shop to carry out U.S. President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda."
In the video, he said:
Attorney General James Uthmeier here at the Miami Dade-Collier training facility. This is an old, virtually abandoned airport facility right in the middle of the Everglades.
Florida has been leading on immigration enforcement, supporting the Trump administration and ICE's efforts to detain and deport criminal aliens. The governor tasked state leaders to identify places for new temporary detention facilities. I think this is the best one, as I call it, Alligator Alcatraz.
This 30-square-mile area is completely surrounded by the Everglades [and] present a efficient, low cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility because you don't need to invest that much in the perimeter. People get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.
Within just 30 to 60 days after we begin construction, it could be up and running and could house as many as 1,000 criminal aliens. This presents a great opportunity for the state of Florida to work with Miami, Dade and Collier counties. Alligator Alcatraz, we're ready to go.
His posts came after a Fox Business segment (archived) about the proposal aired on June 17, 2025.
Uthmeier reportedly told Fox Business the "potential site would serve as a three-in-one immigration enforcement facility," housing detainees, processing legal cases and serving as a "deportation hub."
"If somebody were to get out, there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide — only the alligators and pythons are waiting. That's why I like to call it Alligator Alcatraz," Uthmeier said in an interview with Fox Business.
On June 20, 2025, Florida's Republican Party expressed its support for Uthmeier's proposal in a post (archived) on X:
But state leaders weren't the only ones who weighed in — even the federal government amplified Uthmeier's post. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reshared (archived) it on June 19:
Snopes asked Uthmeier's office if he had discussed a plan for such a detention center with the federal government and whether such a facility is currently in the works. We will update this story if we receive a response. We also asked DHS if it has any plans to partner with the state of Florida on such a proposal. We await a response.
In its post about the proposed facility, DHS mentioned "287g authority," likely referring to a program named for Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Section 287(g) authorizes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration functions under the agency's direction and oversight," ICE says on its website.
Florida is one of many U.S. states that has at least one 287(g) agreement in place, a map on ICE's website shows. In some states, such as California, Washington and Oregon, state law or policy prohibits such agreements.
(Courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
State and local law enforcement officers who are deputized to perform certain functions of federal immigration agents are generally allowed to interview people to determine their immigration status, issue immigration detainers to hold people until ICE takes custody, issue an official charging document that begins the removal process, and transfer noncitizens into ICE custody, among other duties, the nonprofit American Immigration Council explains.
For further reading, Snopes recently investigated claims that ICE is removing undocumented foster children from their foster homes for deportation.
X (Formerly Twitter), 19 June 2025, x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1935741644101374271. Accessed 20 June 2025.
Facebook.com, 19 June 2025, www.facebook.com/agjamesuthmeier/videos/1950662342406348/. Accessed 20 June 2025.
Fox Business. "Florida Officials Want to Turn a Piece of the Everglades into the State's Largest Immigration Facility." Fox Business, 17 June 2025, www.foxbusiness.com/video/6374484480112. Accessed 20 June 2025.
X (Formerly Twitter), 20 June 2025, x.com/FloridaGOP/status/1936114660123512970. Accessed 20 June 2025.
X (Formerly Twitter), 19 June 2025, x.com/DHSgov/status/1935775425243808156. Accessed 20 June 2025.
"The 287(G) Program: An Overview." American Immigration Council, 8 July 2021, www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/fact-sheet/287g-program-immigration/. Accessed 20 June 2025.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(G) Immigration and Nationality Act." Www.ice.gov, www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g. Accessed 20 June 2025.
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