‘Hundreds' of people have been removed from ‘Alligator Alcatraz' detention camp, says Florida governor
At a press conference at the controversial facility, Ron DeSantis said 'hundreds of illegals have been removed' from the facility. He later clarified that most of those were flown from Alligator Alcatraz to other detention facilities in the US. DeSantis, who has built a political career on his anti-immigration views, said 100 people had been deported from the US.
'I'm pleased to report that those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz by [the Department of Homeland Security] have begun. The cadence is increasing,' DeSantis said. 'We've already had a number of flights. … Hundreds of illegals have been removed from here,' De Santis said.
He added: 'We look forward to this cadence increasing.'
Officials said two or three flights have so far departed, but didn't say where those flights were headed.
Last week, a number of non-profit organizations demanded the closure of the facility, which is based in the rural Everglades region, about 40 miles (64km) from Miami.
The facility's conditions are reportedly appalling, advocates said, with detained immigrants sleeping in overcrowded pods, along with sewage backups 'resulting in cages flooded with feces', and, in addition, 'denial of medical care'. Advocates said the 39-acre camp, which was built in a matter of days, now holds more than 1,000 men in 'flood-prone' tents.
Donald Trump said the jail would be reserved for immigrants who were 'deranged psychopaths' and 'some of the most vicious people on the planet' who were awaiting deportation, but in mid-July it emerged that the jail contains hundreds of detainees with no criminal records or charges. Democrats have sued DeSantis, demanding access to the facility.
Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida division of emergency management, said the facility had grown, in less than a month, to have a current capacity of 2,000 people. That will increase to 4,000, he said.
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Guthrie defended conditions inside the facility, claiming that 'whether it's Florida standard or national standard [of conditions and services in detention facilities], we meet or exceed the higher standard'.
Since the jail opened in early July, the Trump administration and local officials have specifically touted the brutality of the facility, including its remote location in a wetland surrounded by alligators, crocodiles, pythons and swarms of mosquitoes. Officials have also seemed to revel in the crude name the facility has been given, echoing the long-shut and notoriously harsh Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay.
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The Guardian
34 minutes ago
- The Guardian
John Oliver on police gang databases: ‘Get rid of them'
After an extended summer holiday, John Oliver returned to his desk at Last Week Tonight to dissect US law enforcement's overreliance on faulty and unregulated gang databases. Such databases – as Oliver put it, 'basically lists the police keep of people they say are involved in gangs' – have been used to justify numerous deportations under the Trump administration, including the deportation and detention of Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadorian immigrant from Maryland whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) illegally deported due to what they later admitted was an 'administrative error'. The deportation stemmed from a wrongful inclusion on a gang database – in 2019, officers apparently observed Ábrego at a Home Depot and filed a report that he belonged to a gang, based on the fact that he wore a Chicago Bulls hat and a hoodie with 'rolls of money covering the eyes, ears and mouth of the presidents' and that they 'know such clothing to be indicative of the Hispanic gang culture'. According to the report, 'wearing the Chicago Bulls hat represents [that] they are in good standing with the MS-13'. 'Which is already a little bit weird, because it implies that somehow, if you're not up to date on your monthly MS-13 dues, your Bulls hat privileges get revoked,' Oliver joked. The officer who filed that report also cited an anonymous tip that Ábrego was a member of MS-13; the officer was also suspended a week later for unrelated misconduct and ultimately fired. 'Nevertheless, that gang allegation meant that Ábrego García was denied bond and spent months locked up in Ice detention,' Oliver explained, an outcome that was 'ridiculous. A person's clothing shouldn't be criteria for locking them up for eight months. As we all know, the worst consequence of fashion choices should be getting roasted by teens on TikTok.' Ábrego's saga is one of many stories that bring the government's use of so-called 'gang databases' into question. Around the country, many local and state police departments keep these databases, often without disclosing them, despite investigations finding them to be 'notoriously inconsistent and opaque', 'riddled with questionable entries and errors' and 'rife with unreliable intelligence', to quote several reports cited by Oliver. When it comes to what constitutes a 'gang', there's 'a lot of variability here', said Oliver. 'Not all gang members may even be engaged in crime.' As one researcher put it: 'Not all gang members are criminals, and not all criminals are gang members.' 'Unfortunately, none of that nuance is on display in these databases,' said Oliver, and none of these lists have oversight from any other branch of government or other law enforcement. The criteria for inclusion are police observations and 'self-admissions', which basically means, according to Oliver, 'We found something on your social media that we decided constitutes you admitting that you're in a gang.' That could include posts with the word 'gang', such as a post from a teenager with the caption 'happy birthday, gang', added to a database on the grounds of self-admission. 'And if the bar is that low, anything is basically a confession,' said Oliver. 'A pic of you holding a diploma with the caption 'killed it?' Congratulations, grad, but now you're wanted for murder. 'And while so far I've been saying anyone can be added to these lists, those who end up on them are heavily people of color,' he continued. At one point, Washington DC's database had only one white person on its list. 'Do you know how few lists there are with only one white guy on them?' Oliver joked. 'It's basically this database and the cast of Hamilton. That is it.' Additions can also be motivated by spite; in 2020, a cop in Phoenix registered 17 Black Lives Matter protesters as 'ACAB gang members' in retaliation. Most states also do not require states to notify people if they put them on a gang database. 'And when it comes to immigrants, the designation of gang member can be truly life-altering,' said Oliver. 'It can be the reason that someone is denied various pathways to remain in the US, and it can make someone a higher priority for deportation and the target of a raid.' Oliver relayed the story of a Hispanic teen in Long Island named Alex who was added to a gang database by a school resource officer after he was seen wearing bright blue sneakers, which school security guards told him was associated with the gang MS-13. He had also doodled '504' on his backpack, which is the country code for Honduras, his country of origin. A few months later, Ice agents arrested him, saying they heard he was a gang member, and eventually deported him. When a police commissioner in Alex's county was asked why he felt local law enforcement needed to partner with Ice, he answered: 'If we have intelligence that they are a gang member, that's not necessarily a crime … The intel that we have may not indicate a state crime. The intel may be small on them, but nothing that is going to keep them in jail. So if we perceive someone as a public safety threat, we utilize all of our tools, which again includes immigration tools, so we'll partner with the Department of Homeland Security to target them for detention.' Oliver fumed in response: 'If someone is on your list of big bad criminals, and you can't find any big bad crime to arrest them for, that suggests the issue might be your fucking list. 'It is pretty clear that gang databases are way too easy to get on, way too hard to get off, and can turn people's lives upside down,' he added. 'So what do we do? Well, I'd argue we get rid of them. And if you think, 'Well, hold on, how will police then stop gang violence?' I'd say, with police work. They could and should do actual police work focusing on where violence is concentrated, instead of fixating on labels. 'I'm not saying that violence associated with gangs isn't real or isn't a problem,' he concluded. 'I'm just saying the answer needs to go beyond policing and way beyond these databases.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Convicted Algerian criminal is allowed to stay in Britain... because he would be mocked in his home country for dressing as a woman
A convicted Algerian criminal has been allowed to stay in Britain after claiming he would be mocked for wearing women's clothes and makeup if he returned to Algeria. The 27-year-old, who claims to be transgender, has been jailed for robbery and committed multiple offences including burglary, theft and battery since being granted refugee status in 2013. In arguing against his deportation, the repeat offender, identified only as MS, claimed he would be targeted in Algeria because of his sexuality - described to a court as 'gay, transvestite and/or transgender'. And an asylum judge agreed, upholding his appeal against the Home Office 's revocation of his refugee status. Upper Tribunal Judge Christopher Hanson said: 'Were MS to return to Algeria and be open about his sexuality, he would be at risk of mockery, harassment, discrimination and potential harm from non-state actors. 'Were he to wear women's clothes and makeup, he would certainly draw negative attention to himself, and would likely be subjected to ridicule, hostility and possible harm... 'Algerian society would not generally accept men dressing as women or asserting that they are transgender. 'Indeed, [his] being ridiculed for wearing women's clothes and make up in public areas is entirely plausible, as are his father's threats to kill him on account of his behaviour. 'A family would deem such actions as deeply shameful and humiliating, and would do their utmost to prevent their son from bringing embarrassment and shame in this way. 'If MS chooses to dress in women's clothing or make up, this would heighten the threat of abuse.' The Upper Tier Tribunal (UTT) of the Asylum and Immigration Chamber was told that MS is a gay man recognised as a refugee 'who was and is a transvestite and/or is transgender'. The hearing, held in Birmingham, was told that since arriving in Britain 12 years ago he had been convicted of numerous crimes. 'Between April 2014 and January 2015, [MS] received four convictions for offences including: burglary and theft; attempted burglary with intent to steal; using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provocation of violence; theft,' the tribunal heard. MS received a warning letter from officials in September 2015, after the decision was taken not to deport him due to Algeria's 'situation'. He received eight further convictions between May 2016 and June 2018 for offences including 'theft; resisting or obstructing a constable; failing to surrender to custody at appointed time and various driving offences'. In August of the same year, he was convicted for offences including theft and 'racially or religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence in words or writing'. He was again given a warning letter in September 2018 after a decision was made not to pursue deportation, and after further convictions between December 2018 and January 2019 he was given more warning letters. In February 2019, he was issued 'administrative removal papers as an overstayer', following the expiry of his refugee limited leave to remain. MS was in and out of prison after this point, and came to the attention of authorities in January of the following year after being convicted for offences including battery. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison after receiving a conviction for robbery and breaching a criminal behaviour order. A deportation order was made in August 2022, and he was served with a notice of the decision to revoke his refugee status in the same month. The Home Office asserted in July 2023 that the situation in Algeria had changed and that MS would no longer be an 'individual who would face treatment amounting to persecution' in the country. However, a 'country expert' told the tribunal that while 'homosexuality is not illegal in Algeria engaging in homosexual acts is a punishable offence', and those who do not hide their sexuality are at risk of 'physical violence'. The Upper Tribunal heard that in interviews in May 2023, MS said: 'He liked to play with girls and would dress up in his sister's clothes for which his father would beat him. 'His father would chain him to a wall and throw "rocks" at him.' MS said that he had been raped as a child and had also been bullied in school for acting 'like a girl'. He said he feared for his life if he had to return to Algeria, where their father still lives. The judge found that the asylum seeker 'could well end up destitute and living on the streets', and that 'mental health problems would make him particularly vulnerable in this respect'. Judge Hanson said: 'I find a holistic assessment of the evidence shows there is sufficient to justify the maintaining of the grant of international protection.' The judge found the first-tier tribunal made a legal error because it did not consider the 'protected characteristics' for which the asylum seeker has been 'recognised as a refugee'.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Trump news at a glance: president wants Murdoch deposed in Epstein libel case within two weeks
Donald Trump has asked a US court to order a swift deposition for billionaire Rupert Murdoch in the president's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. The US president sued the publication and its owner over a 17 July article asserting that Trump's name was on a 2003 birthday greeting for Jeffrey Epstein, who was later a convicted sex offender. Trump's lawsuit called the alleged birthday greeting 'fake' and said the Journal published its article to harm the president's reputation. In a court filing on Monday, Trump's lawyers said Trump told Murdoch before the article was published that the letter referenced in the story was fake, and Murdoch told Trump he would 'take care of it'. 'Murdoch's direct involvement further underscores Defendants' actual malice,' Trump's lawyers wrote, referring to the legal standard Trump must clear to prevail in his lawsuit. His lawyers asked US district judge Darrin Gayles in Miami to compel Murdoch, 94, to testify within 15 days. Dow Jones, the Journal's publisher, has previously said the paper stood by its reporting and would vigorously defend against the lawsuit. Here are the key Trump stories of the day: Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has requested that the US supreme court overturn her conviction, saying she was unjustly prosecuted. Maxwell's submission to the supreme court comes days after she met justice department officials, as discussions began to see whether she would turn into a US government cooperator. Observers have suggested Maxwell may be able to expose new information about Epstein's sex trafficking and the wealthy individuals who may have also been involved. It is not clear if Maxwell will become a US government cooperator and what she may receive in return. Read the full story Donald Trump told Israel to allow 'every ounce of food' into Gaza as he acknowledged for the first time that there is 'real starvation' in the region. During a visit to Britain, the US president contradicted Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli prime minister claimed it was a 'bold-faced lie' to say Israel was causing hunger in Gaza. Trump is under increasing pressure to intervene in the humanitarian crisis, with dozens of Palestinians having died of hunger in recent weeks in a crisis attributed by the UN and other humanitarian organisations to Israel's blockade of almost all aid into the territory. Read the full story The US Department of Justice is facing a federal lawsuit for refusing to release a legal memorandum that reportedly cleared the way for Donald Trump's acceptance of a $400m luxury aircraft from Qatar's government. Read the full story Donald Trump's strategy of imposing sweeping tariffs on America's main trading partners will face a major test in the US courts on Thursday, four days after the president hailed the 'powerful deal' reached with the EU and just hours before a new round of punishing import duties is set to come into effect. Trump has underpinned his tariff policy with an emergency power that is now being challenged as unlawful in the federal courts. On Thursday the US court of appeals for the federal circuit will hear oral arguments in the case, VOS Selections v Trump. Read the full story The French prime minister, François Bayrou, said the EU had capitulated to Donald Trump's threats of ever-increasing tariffs, as he labelled the framework deal struck in Scotland on Sunday as a 'dark day' for the EU. 'It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, brought together to affirm their common values and to defend their common interests, resigns itself to submission,' Bayrou wrote on X on Monday. Read the full story Donald Trump's timeline for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine has sped up, the president said while visiting Nato ally Great Britain on Monday. 'I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10, 10 or 12 days from today,' Trump said in response to a question while sitting with the British prime minister, Keir Starmer. Read the full story The Trump administration must continue reimbursing Planned Parenthood clinics for Medicaid-funded services, a federal judge ruled on Monday, in an escalating legal war between the reproductive health giant and the White House over Republican efforts to 'defund' Planned Parenthood. Read the full story The US cannot sell any Virginia-class nuclear submarines to Australia without doubling its production rate, because it is making too few for its own defence, the navy's nominee for chief of operations has told Congress. Twenty-one Senate Democrats are demanding Donald Trump immediately cut funding to a controversial Gaza aid organization they say has resulted in the killings of more than 700 civilians seeking food and violated decades of humanitarian law. Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace has claimed she cruises the web for videos of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents dragging people into custody, saying she 'can think of nothing more American'. Catching up? Here's what happened 27 July 2025.
