Miami New Times | The Leading Independent News Source in Miami, Florida

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava speaking at a podium during the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce’s 19th Annual Holiday Gala

Miami-Dade Mayor Changes Her Tune on Alligator Alcatraz

By Natasha Yee

Aug 23, 2025

In June, the county wanted no part of a suit to shutter Alligator Alcatraz. Now Daniella Levine Cava is cheering its demise.

Florida Ordered to Tear Down Alligator Alcatraz: What to Know

By Alex DeLuca

Aug 22, 2025

The ruling prohibits the state from admitting new detainees to the site and requires officials to begin tearing it down.

A wide shot of a road with trees on either side, with a blue sign that reads, "Alligator Alcatraz."

Florida Nonprofits Hope Hotline Connects Immigrant Detainees, Families

By B. Scott McLendon

Aug 18, 2025

It's part of Florida Immigrant Coalition's ongoing campaign against Alligator Alcatraz.

Side-by-side images of a black "The Deport Depot" coffee mug and a black "The Deport Depot" mesh hat featuring logos that mimic that of The Home Depot

Florida GOP Quietly Deletes Deportation Depot Merch Days After Launch

By B. Scott McLendon

Aug 18, 2025

"We won't back down to the radical left," Florida GOP posted on X, announcing the merch days before it disappeared.

collage of images featuring T-shirts, drinking vessels, and other "The Deport Depot" merch sold by the Republican Party of Florida

That Deportation Depot Merch No One Asked for Just Dropped

By Naomi Feinstein

Aug 15, 2025

A Home Depot spokesperson says the company did not give the Florida GOP permission to use its orange logo and branding.

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaking at a press conference.

Gov. DeSantis Announces "Deportation Depot" Immigration Detention Site

By Alex DeLuca

Aug 14, 2025

Florida plans to convert a closed northeast prison into a new immigration detention center.

A photo of Donald Trump's "Border Czar" Tom Homan.

Trump's Border Czar: Alligator Alcatraz Makes ICE Look Like a "Joke"

By Alex DeLuca

Aug 14, 2025

"People get caught up in the names, and they think it becomes a joke. I don't think what we're doing is a joke."

President Donald Trump participates in a walking tour of the immigration detention center, Alligator Alcatraz.

Florida Officials Won't Say If COVID Is Spreading at Alligator Alcatraz

By Alex DeLuca

Aug 11, 2025

If there's an infectious disease spreading at the facility, the state refuses to say so.

CNN anchor John Berman speaks with policy analyst Thomas Kennedy during a CNN broadcast

Opinion: What Florida Is Doing at Alligator Alcatraz Is Illegal — Full Stop

By Thomas Kennedy

Aug 6, 2025

A Trump-appointed judge gave officials until Thursday to prove they can legally detain migrants in the Everglades.

Alligator Alcatraz Security Job Postings Hint at Long-Term Facility

By Alex DeLuca

Aug 4, 2025

State officials have repeatedly insisted the detention center would be temporary.

A shirt print shows an apparent AI image of an alligator dressed in law enforcement garb.

Etsy Shop Plays Both Sides of Political Fence With Alligator Alcatraz

By B. Scott McLendon

Jul 31, 2025

If you're looking for a gift for your liberal cousin and your xenophobic aunt, we've got the shop for you.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat patrols the waters near Miami Beach.

The New Deportation Economy? ICE, CBP Hiring Booms in South Florida

By B. Scott McLendon

Jul 31, 2025

Six-figure pay, Trump-themed ads, and the rise of Alligator Alcatraz reflect a fresh surge in immigration enforcement hiring.

Miami Li'l Abner Mobile Home Landlord Is Alligator Alcatraz Contractor

By Alex DeLuca

Jul 30, 2025

Several ambulances bearing the National Health Transport (NHT) logo were recently spotted leaving the detention center.

Shalala Student Center looking over Lake Osceola on University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, Florida.

University of Miami DACA Scholarships Now Under Federal Investigation

By Naomi Feinstein

Jul 28, 2025

UM is the lone private school under investigation for providing scholarships to Dreamers.

Military Planes Appear to Fly Alligator Alcatraz Detainees to Texas, Louisiana

By Alex DeLuca

Jul 25, 2025

Flight tracking data appears to show that two military aircraft left the facility this week for Texas and Louisiana.

Sonia Bichara (right) and Rafael Collodo pose for a picture in front of balloons

A Detainee Spoke at Alligator Alcatraz Protest. His Fiancée Hasn't Heard From Him Since.

By Naomi Feinstein

Jul 25, 2025

"Nobody knows where he’s at," Sonia Bichara tells New Times.

illustration of a solitary dog outside a barbed-wire-enclosed detention facility holding a leash in its mouth as if waiting for its human companion

Orphans of the Deported: South Florida Deportations Are Quietly Filling Animal Shelters

By Alex DeLuca

Jul 24, 2025

A hidden toll of President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts: Abandoned pets.

Miami Shores Village Council votes on the controversial 287(g) agreement.

Miami Shores Defers 287(g) Deal

By B. Scott McLendon

Jul 23, 2025

South Florida cities have been signing on since President Donald Trump began his heavy-handed immigration enforcement.

A woman speaks to reporters about her husband's experience in Alligator Alcatraz.

Detainees' Families Decry Alligator Alcatraz 'Humanitarian Crisis'

By B. Scott McLendon

Jul 23, 2025

They joined protesters in urging Miami-Dade County officials to immediately evacuate and close the facility.

Venezuelan Man Released From El Salvador After Possibly Being Deported Over Tattoo

By Alex DeLuca

Jul 21, 2025

Luis Carlos José Marcano Silva, 26, was living in Bradenton, Florida, when he vanished into a foreign prison.

Immigration

Appeals Court Blocks Alligator Alcatraz Shutdown

Alligator Alcatraz Likely Empty in Days: Report

Immigration

Appeals Court Blocks Alligator Alcatraz Shutdown

Alligator Alcatraz Likely Empty in Days: Report

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