Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade, has called for access to the contentious “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility after the state took county land in the Everglades to house migrants in appalling conditions. On June 23, Governor Ron DeSantis used his emergency powers to seize land from the county airport on which the facility was constructed. Concerning conditions mentioned by detainees include food contaminated with maggots, a shortage of medication, and an inability to make private phone calls for legal matters.
County Land Seized for Detention Operations
The confrontation between Miami-Dade County and state authorities escalated after Governor Ron DeSantis used emergency powers to seize the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on June 23. The state quickly converted the site into a 3,000-bed detention facility for undocumented migrants, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” due to its remote location in the Everglades, approximately 40 miles west of Miami International Airport and surrounded by the Big Cypress National Preserve.
In her most confrontational stance yet against the state’s actions, Mayor Levine Cava sent formal letters to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, requesting access to monitor the facility. The mayor’s requests include remote video monitoring capabilities, weekly reports on site conditions, and scheduled visits to ensure humane treatment of detainees and environmental compliance on what was until recently county property.
DEVELOPING: Miami-Dade’s mayor wants Florida to lift the secrecy around the immigration detention center in the Everglades and allow monitoring of the 3,000-bed compound hastily built on a seized county airport. https://t.co/EopzKbLOq4
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) July 8, 2025
Reports of Harsh Conditions
Concerns about the facility have mounted as detainees report increasingly troubling conditions. According to multiple accounts, those held at “Alligator Alcatraz” are unable to make private phone calls to attorneys, potentially violating legal requirements for confidential legal access. Other reports indicate detainees are being denied basic necessities, including clean food, medicine, and adequate bathing facilities.
Cuban reggaeton artist Leamsy La Figura reported not bathing for four days and receiving meals containing maggots. These allegations have raised significant humanitarian concerns, with Democratic Florida lawmakers being denied entry to the facility last week during an attempted inspection visit. State and federal authorities have not yet publicly responded to these allegations.
After a restrained initial response to @GovRonDeSantis takeover of a Miami-Dade airport for a Everglades detention camp, @MayorDaniella getting more confrontational — requesting video & in-person access to monitor inmate conditions, enviro impact https://t.co/6cj6wEzkBU
— Doug Hanks (@doug_hanks) July 8, 2025
Environmental and Political Implications
The detention center has become a flashpoint in the ongoing immigration debate, with Mayor Levine Cava criticizing both the Trump administration’s deportation actions and DeSantis’ state-level immigration policies. The facility’s location in the environmentally sensitive Everglades has drawn additional scrutiny, with environmental groups, including Friends of the Everglades, filing a federal lawsuit challenging the construction based on county zoning authority violations.
“I am writing to formally request that Miami-Dade County be granted monitoring access to the state-managed facility referred to as ‘Alligator Alcatraz,'” Levine Cava included this statement in her letter to state officials.
Advocacy groups have pressured Levine Cava to take stronger action against the state’s takeover, with some urging legal action. Thomas Kennedy, an immigration activist, stated, “We’re not going to let her and the county slither away on this. They have the best standing to sue over this.” The potential for escalation remains high, with DeSantis having the authority to suspend county officials who obstruct state plans, adding another layer of tension to the standoff.
Balancing Security and Humanitarian Concerns
While acknowledging legitimate security concerns, Levine Cava has stressed the need for humane treatment of detainees and proper oversight. In her communications with federal officials, she has requested information on deaths in Florida’s ICE facilities and expressed particular concern about the treatment of pregnant women and children at the detention center.
The facility has received high-profile attention, with President Donald Trump recently visiting the site and the Department of Homeland Security promoting it on social media. As tensions continue between county, state, and federal authorities, the fate of both the detention center and its occupants remains uncertain, highlighting the complex intersection of immigration policy, environmental concerns, and governmental authority in Florida.