COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Five Democratic state lawmakers were denied entry Thursday to Florida’s newest migrant detention site, a remote facility that has drawn national attention and concern over conditions inside.
The visit came just hours after the first detainees were transferred to the state-run facility, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," and two days after former President Donald Trump toured the site, calling it a model for immigration enforcement.
WATCH AS THE LAWMAKERS ARE DENIED ENTRY AT THE FRONT GATES OF ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ:
Lawmakers, including State Reps. Anna V. Eskamani, Angie Nixon, Michele Rayner, and others, said they arrived unannounced to exercise their "legal authority to inspect the publicly funded detention center", located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Everglades.
“The first individuals who have been detained with no due process have arrived — and it’s essential, when hundreds of millions in public dollars are being spent on a political stunt, that we have the ability to see with our own eyes what is happening,” Eskamani said.
Concerns about conditions inside the facility have been mounting. Lawmakers cited reports of water pooling inside the building, high heat, sanitation issues, and a lack of emergency preparedness. During Thursday’s visit, they were met by heavy rain and swarms of mosquitoes as law enforcement blocked them from entering.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which oversees the site, told lawmakers over the phone they would not be allowed inside. Video from the scene captured the tense exchange outside the front gates.
“At the end of the day, y’all love to say we’re a law-and-order state,” said Rep. Michele Rayner, speaking on the phone to the office of emergency management. “If we’re going to follow the law — you gotta follow the law. There’s no world where we need to call a number and get permission to come here."
Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended the detention center, saying it provides access to health services and meets Florida standards. But lawmakers on the ground argued independent oversight is critical, both for transparency around the treatment of detainees and the state contracts funding the operation.
“We should all be appalled by what’s going on,” said Rep. Angie Nixon. “We were just standing here a few minutes ago — the rain was pouring, the water is rising, and it’s seeping through tents. We’re demanding access — because we are Americans.”
The facility is one of three immigration detention centers operating under the DeSantis administration’s expanded immigration enforcement policies. The lawmakers said they would continue attempts to enter the facility and would pursue legal action.
