The Trump administration has unveiled a new initiative aimed at expanding migrant detention facilities across the United States with a considerable financial incentive.
According to Fox News, States are encouraged to apply for a share of $608 million from FEMA's Detention Support Grant Program to build temporary detention sites modeled after Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz.”
FEMA announced the funding through the Detention Support Grant Program to help states construct or enhance temporary detention sites. These facilities aim to replicate the rapid construction and secure setting of Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” a detention center quickly built within the natural barriers of the Dade-Collier Airport.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has endorsed the initiative. She actively promotes the Everglades-based facility as a model for other states to follow in managing migrant detention more efficiently.
Florida’s facility, built quickly in a uniquely strategic location, houses up to 3,000 migrants. Officials fortified it with fencing and surrounded it with naturally treacherous swampland, enhancing its security. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlights the site’s efficiency and rapid setup, presenting it as a potential model for other states.
During his visit on July 1, President Donald Trump praised the facility. He called it exceptionally professional and urged other states to adopt similar designs.
“We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation,” President Trump remarked, underscoring the site’s natural defenses and strategic advantage.
To begin with, FEMA has instructed interested states to submit their funding applications by August 8. This deadline comes as part of an expedited process designed to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s goal of doubling its detention capacity by the end of the year, ultimately aiming to manage 100,000 beds across multiple facilities.
At the same time, FEMA and Customs and Border Protection have coordinated to oversee funding distribution, ensuring that agencies allocate resources to the areas with the greatest need.
Additionally, FEMA has already confirmed the availability of funds. In response, Florida officials are actively seeking reimbursement to help cover the estimated $450 million required annually to operate “Alligator Alcatraz.” Given this context, FEMA views states like Florida—those that demonstrate a willingness and capability to establish such facilities swiftly—as ideal candidates for continued funding.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discussed the project's rollout with the media, stating, "We’ve had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model for how they can partner with us. I hope my phone rings off the hook from governors calling and saying, ‘How can we do what Florida just did?’"
The program's broader aim is to assist in swiftly establishing secure, temporary detention sites. Secretary Noem has voiced criticism of federal contractors, deeming them too slow and expensive compared to direct state-led projects like Florida's.
With the Detention Support Grant Program, the Trump administration hopes to effectively respond to the continuous challenges at various U.S. borders. They aim to achieve a significant expansion in the nation's detention capacity, intending to provide a more robust system for managing migration flows.
Ultimately, this initiative highlights a shift towards state-partnered infrastructure projects in critical federal operations, signifying a potential realignment in how governmental bodies at various levels collaborate on national security and immigration enforcement objectives.
