Sami Moesch is a columnist who frequently writes opinions for the Wildcat Chronicle. The views in this story are her own.
Alligator Alcatraz is not just another detention center. It is a symbol of the failures of America’s immigration system: cruel, unsanitary, and placed in one of the nation’s most fragile environments.
Alligator Alcatraz is a detention center located in southern Florida, housing undocumented immigrants. Due to the detention center’s location and conditions, it has been deemed controversial for failing to meet safety and environmental standards. The facility is designed to accommodate around 3,000 people, but was never at capacity, even as the number of individuals being held in immigration detention across the US reached a record-high of 59,000 as of mid-August, according to the BBC.
Environmental activists argued that state and federal officials did not confirm a review of the environment before opening. The operation, despite an order to be shut down, is still open, with many immigrants facing these rough conditions. The conditions are described as unsanitary and cruel, with immigrants being held in cages. The cost of Alligator Alcatraz is estimated to be $450 million per year.
The future of Alligator Alcatraz remains unknown, but many people have begun to speak out about the injustices occurring. Both Democrats and Republicans have different perspectives on the topic. In contrast, Democrats tend to believe that the facility is cruel and unjust; Republicans usually think Alcatraz is a necessary evil to enforce immigration policies.
Local party chairs in DuPage County see the debate over Alligator Alcatraz as part of a larger struggle over immigration policy.
“I think it is absolutely horrible and unconstitutional to use cruelty to deter people from seeking asylum or seeking economic benefit or escaping poverty,” Chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage, Reid McCollum, said.
Although the purpose of Alcatraz is to detain immigrants before being deported, the approach taken by this facility lacks compassion. Instead, Alcatraz treats immigrants as less than people, in a dangerous and horrific place, before being sent back to their countries, where many come from areas of poverty and few opportunities.
Additionally, the center is built in the Everglades, which houses wildlife. Alligator Alcatraz threatens the lands and animals with pollution and more wildlife deaths from increased traffic in the area.
“Democratic values – we have empathy and do not dehumanize people. We know that immigrants are good for the economy and are not the problem, and it is very possible to enforce our laws and still have the ability to seek asylum and to immigrate into the United States,” McCollum said.
Alligator Alcatraz raises big questions about U.S. immigration policy. Which issue matters most to you?
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“He added that a fair system should include a path to citizenship for long-term residents and Dreamers.
“It’s completely consistent to have a rational immigration policy and not do things like build concentration camps in mosquito-infested swamps where the whole idea is to treat people cruelly,” McCollum said.
However, from a Republican standpoint, these issues are viewed differently. Although these procedures may be harsh and cruel, some Republicans deem places like Alligator Alcatraz as imperative.
“We had millions of people walk into the country, and we had a lot of problems because of it. Many of those problems last to this day, and it is getting to be under control now,” Chairman of the DuPage Republicans, Kevin Coyne, said.
With many immigrants being pulled to the United States in recent years, controlling the border became very difficult and was out of control. Under the 2025 reconciliation budget bill, ICE’s detention funding rose by more than 300%, enabling the hiring of thousands of new agents – a move critics say expands the enforcement machine while avoiding normal appropriations scrutiny.
“This is probably not going to be a long-term arrangement; it is dealing with an overflow of people that have to be processed and dealt with,” Coyne said. “Border crossings have dropped dramatically, if not completely, and that should certainly diminish the need for the center long-term.”
Recently, 1,200 immigrants, roughly two-thirds of the people being held in Alligator Alcatraz during July, have been reported missing from ICE’s database, according to the Miami Herald. Although immigration control is crucial, the families of these people are unable to locate them.
Both Republicans and Democrats often want secure borders and equality. The way to achieve that is just perceived differently. But treating immigrants inhumanely at Alligator Alcatraz is not the answer. The United States must reform its system so that immigration enforcement does not come at the cost of basic human rights.
