Trump Wants to Deputize National Guard as Immigration Judges — And Build More ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Facilities in Florida
During a trip to the migrant detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Florida Everglades, President Donald Trump declared Gov. Ron DeSantis had his approval to deputize National Guard members as immigration judges to speed up deportations — and also voiced his support for building another similar facility in Jacksonville, with a similarly rushed construction timeline.
On Tuesday, Trump visited the hastily-built tent facility that DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier have said will hold thousands of migrants.
Critics have denounced the construction impacts and massive planned occupancy on environmentally sensitive land that has been protected for decades (the one runway on the property was part of a larger airport plan that was scrapped in 1970 after strong backlash that led directly to the initiation of the Big Cypress National Preserve). Local Native Americans, including members of the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes who have lived in the area for centuries, have strenuously objected to the plan and organized protests to protect land they view as sacred.
Constitutional rights and immigration reform advocates have voiced skepticism the plan is legal and called it cruel, as Trump, DeSantis, Uthmeier, and other federal and Florida officials have touted the intention for any migrants who attempt to escape to be attacked and eaten by alligators and other local wildlife. (This is an inaccurate representation of the diets of the alligators, pythons, crocodiles, panthers, and other wildlife in the Everglades and how they interact with humans; except in rare circumstances they do not pose a threat to adults.)
During a Q&A with reporters, Trump was asked by the Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli if he “would be open” to DeSantis’ proposal to deputize Florida National Guard Judge Advocate General Corps officers to serve as immigration judges “to get through this massive backlog of people in the immigration court.”
“Yes, he has my approval,” the president replied. “That wasn’t too hard to get, was it, Ron?”
“He didn’t even have to ask me, James. You didn’t even need James have to ask me,” Trump continued, gesturing to DeSantis and Uthmeier at the other end of the table. “He has my approval, okay? I also like what he’s doing in Okechobee, he has my approval for that too — I don’t know how we worked that out, but we’ll work it out.”
“We’ll follow up,” said DeSantis.
The next question came from a reporter based in Jacksonville, Jake Stofan with Action News Jax, who mentioned there had been “some talk about a facility similar to this, up in Camp Blanding,” the Florida National Guard base and training facility about an hour’s drive southwest of Jacksonville.
“Has that been approved by DHS, if not what is the timeline, when could we see ground break on that?” asked Stofan.
“I will ask Ron or James to talk about it,” Trump replied. “Do you want to mention it, James?”
“The overarching plan, I think [DHS Secretary Kristi Noem] said she supports the whole plan,” said Uthmeier. “So we will keep going.”
Another DHS official added that the comment period would end on Wednesday at 5:00 pm, and then they would issue a notice to proceed and construction would begin right after July 4th.
“We have another big runway there too,” said Uthmeier.
“That’s great — wow, I love these big runways,” said Trump. “It’s very convenient, I must say. Having a runway is a nice thing. Today you do not get runways approved, I will tell you. Although in the age of Trump, you get them approved fast.”
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
