Florida’s plan B if Alligator Alcatraz closes: This is Ron DeSantis’ “Deportation Depot”
Despite the failure of Alligator Alcatraz, the Trump administration are still going ahead with plans to make life as cruel as possible for immigrants.
In TrumpWorld©, they always have to have funny names. Maybe so the files make it onto his front desk in the morning, or perhaps to divert criticism away from the problem itself.
Whatever the reason, it appears that Alligator Alcatraz is shutting down, with Snake Supermax taking its place. A federal judge has ruled that no more detainees may be sent to the marshy lands and that the site must close within 60 days.
OK, that’s not the real name, and I don’t want to give the administration any more ideas; instead, they’ve gone for Deportation Depot, which is a cruel, South Park-esque spin on everyone’s favourite place to buy a hammer and nails.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis must comply with the federal judge’s order, shut down ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ forever, and stop any efforts to open other similar detention and deportation facilities in the State. The government should be shutting down facilities, not building more.
— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) August 22, 2025
“The project creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss”
The project is, of course, backed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s biggest fan, who has done everything he can to sidle up to the president in case he fires everyone else around him and gets bored before reaching Florida on the list.
Back to the story: U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued an injunction in response to a lawsuit filed by environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, who say that their land is being damaged by the facility; “the project creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased mortality to endangered species in the area,” Williams said in the order.
Mr. DeSantis has, expectedly, hit back, saying: “we got news last night that we had a judge try to upset the apple cart with respect to our deportation and detainee processing centre down in South Florida at ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ I just wanted to say this was not something that was unexpected. We knew that this would be something that will likely happen and we will respond accordingly.”
“We’re not going to be deterred,” DeSantis defiantly added. “We are totally in the right on this.” As is usual from figures on the right, DeSantis turned to childish insults, calling Williams an “activist judge”, adding that the injunction was “preordained” and she “was not going to give us a fair shake.”
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However, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava celebrated the decision: “Most importantly it is a victory for the families who have endured unimaginable hardship because of what happens at this facility,” Cava said. “The people who have been held here, the detainees have faced conditions that have shocked our community, our nation and in fact, the world, conditions that have betrayed the very values that define America.”
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