Alligator Alcatraz: Florida's New Migrant Detention Venture

Construction has begun in Florida on a contentious temporary migrant detention facility known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' due to its isolated location in the alligator-infested Everglades. The remote site will feature large tents and trailers to house migrants, with nature providing a natural security buffer, state officials confirmed.

According to recently aired footage, the development is part of the Trump administration's strategy to escalate migrant detention efforts. The number of people under federal immigration detention has surged to 56,000 from 39,000 when Trump assumed office, necessitating additional capacity like the one slated in Florida.

The project, estimated to cost $450 million annually, aims to eventually accommodate 5,000 inmates. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds are being redirected to cover much of the expenditure, which highlights the ongoing prioritization of immigration detention in current national policy discussions.

(With inputs from agencies.)