📢 Swamp of Corruption: How Republican Donors Cashed In on Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' While Detainees Face Inhumane Conditions
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Welcome to Florida's latest export to the world of authoritarianism and profiteering: Alligator Alcatraz, a $450 million-a-year immigrant detention facility built on swampland during peak hurricane season. It's a literal and moral disaster zone—an environmental time bomb, a human rights abomination, and a golden goose for Republican donors.
Constructed in just eight days on more than 96% wetlands adjacent to Big Cypress National Preserve, the site flooded within 24 hours of opening during an ordinary summer rainstorm. 1 This isn't just bad planning—it's criminal negligence. The facility sits in a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone during the most dangerous time of year, with detainees housed in flimsy tents surrounded by chain-link fencing. These are not just design flaws but death traps waiting for a storm surge.
Inside, the horrors compound. Detainees report being denied basic necessities—maggot-infested food, no access to bathing, 24-hour lighting, and religious suppression. "They took the Bible I had and they said here there is no right to religion," one detainee said.2 This isn't border enforcement. It's institutionalized cruelty, justified under the false guise of deterrence.
But the rot doesn't stop at inhumane treatment. It runs straight through Tallahassee, Florida into the pockets of Republican mega-donors. The facility was built by companies like CDR Maguire, Doodie Calls and GardaWorld, which have donated nearly $2 million to PACs supporting Ron DeSantis.3 4 5 That's not governance—it's appears to be a kickback scheme masquerading as policy and we are calling for a full investigation.
Even more grotesque? The Florida GOP is cashing in—literally. Merchandise branded "Alligator Alcatraz" is "selling like hotcakes" at their online store, while donations to the state party have surged. They're making political profit off the suffering of detained immigrants and the destruction of fragile ecosystems.6
And yes, environmental laws are being trampled right alongside human rights. There was no environmental impact assessment, which directly violated the National Environmental Policy Act, prompting a federal lawsuit from environmental groups. 7 The endangered Florida panther, whose habitat surrounds the site, is now another victim in this swamp of corruption.
This facility is not just dangerous—it's catastrophic waiting to happen. Experts have warned that a single hurricane could turn it into a mass casualty event. And yet, Florida officials proudly call it a "force multiplier" for immigration enforcement. Let's be clear: Alligator Alcatraz is not a deterrent—it's a death sentence, built for profit and political theater.
We are witnessing a systematic abuse of power, where vulnerable people are caged in tents, denied religious freedom, fed rotten food, and abandoned to the elements. Republican donors can line their pockets, and politicians can score cheap political points.
This is not America. This is a grotesque perversion of justice, governance, and basic human decency.
We must get loud. We must demand that Congress shut down Alligator Alcatraz immediately, launch a full investigation into the corruption behind its creation, and hold the profiteers financially and legally accountable.
This isn't just about one facility. This is about whether we, the people, will accept cruelty, corruption, and catastrophe as the cost of doing political business. It's time to flood Congress with the one thing they fear more than donor dollars: an outraged public that refuses to be silent.
Today’s Call to Actions
Click here to Shut down Alligator Alcatraz and send a letter to your Member of Congress
📱 Call (202) 224-3121 to reach your Member of Congress
"Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I'm a constituent from [Your City/State]. I'm calling to demand that Congress act immediately to shut down the dangerous and corrupt immigrant detention center known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' in Florida. This facility violates human rights, environmental laws, and public safety standards. It was built for profit, not for justice. I want my representative to call for an investigation, stop the funding, and shut it down now. Thank you."
Click here to Stop Trump's Plan to Poison Southwest Water
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Good Trouble Lives On: A Day of Action
On July 17th, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, People Power United is hosting a virtual event to honor his legacy and defend our rights and freedoms.
As Trump and his allies push voter suppression bills like the SAVE Act and criminalize protest, we’re rising up in nonviolent resistance—because in America, the power belongs to the people.
This isn’t just a virtual rally. It’s a moral stand. It’s Good Trouble—alive and marching forward.
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With fierce resolve and people power,
Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
People Power United
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https://www.newsweek.com/alligator-alcatraz-flooded-opening-day-donald-trump-migrant-detention-center-2093581
https://worldrelief.org/world-relief-responds-to-allegations-of-inhumane-conditions-and-religious-freedom-violations-in-alligator-alcatraz/
https://www.latintimes.com/three-contractors-helping-build-alligator-alcatraz-reportedly-donated-desantis-florida-586148
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/07/03/alligator-alcatraz-desantis-cdr-maguire-gardaworld-contractors/
https://www.news8000.com/news/politics/national-politics/republican-donors-floridas-hurricane-know-how-helped-build-alligator-alcatraz-quickly
https://apnews.com/article/alligator-alcatraz-republican-donors-hurricanes-936556033be361d96bdb5d38b24c81d7
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/alligator-alcatraz-shirts-hats-sold-florida-gop-1235374503/
https://apnews.com/article/florida-alligator-alcatraz-history-immigration-detention-activism-796d5fae66d28de45c647241aa02d7bd
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