Deportation flights are now underway from the Trump administration’s newest immigration enforcement facility — a remote, high-security ICE detention site deep in the Florida Everglades, now dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the milestone at a press conference on Friday, confirming that hundreds of illegal aliens have already been deported from the facility aboard outbound flights coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security.
“I’m pleased to report that those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz by DHS have begun. The cadence is increasing,” DeSantis said. “We’ve already had a number of flights in the last few days. Hundreds of illegals have been removed from here.”
The site, located in one of the most inhospitable and isolated regions of the United States, was selected to discourage escape and streamline deportation operations. Modeled after the infamous island prison Alcatraz, the facility is surrounded by dense swampland, alligators, pythons, and limited access roads — creating what officials describe as a natural barrier to escape.
“There is only one road leading in,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The only way out is a one-way flight.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier added that escape is virtually impossible. “If people get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons.”
The detention site is directly adjacent to an airstrip, allowing ICE to conduct quick and secure deportation operations without the logistical delays of ground transport to commercial airports. “It’s a sensible spot for ICE,” DeSantis said. “You don’t have to drive them an hour to the airport. You only have to go a couple thousand feet and they can be on a plane and out of here.”
The launch of deportation flights from the facility comes after President Trump’s administration secured new funding to dramatically expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention capacity. The funding package, signed into law last month, represents one of the most aggressive investments in immigration enforcement in decades — with a stated goal of one million deportations in 2025.
“Alligator Alcatraz is part of a larger strategic push to restore law and order at the border and across our country,” said DHS senior advisor Tom Homan, who helped coordinate the facility’s construction. “This is what happens when you get serious about deportations — and we’re just getting started.”
The Trump administration has faced ongoing legal and political battles over its expanded deportation agenda, but recent Supreme Court victories have cleared the way for more forceful action. Vice President JD Vance said this week that 2025 is on track to become the first year in modern history with net negative immigration — the result of both increased removals and a dramatic drop in illegal border crossings.
Officials also confirmed that the facility is operating at high security, with military-style perimeters, round-the-clock surveillance, and emergency response teams stationed on-site. Leavitt emphasized that the goal is deterrence, enforcement, and swift processing.
“The era of catch-and-release is over,” she said. “This is the new standard for immigration enforcement in the United States.”
Alligator Alcatraz is expected to scale up operations significantly in the coming weeks, with additional flights scheduled daily. According to administration officials, similar facilities are now being evaluated in Texas, Arizona, and Louisiana.
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