About

Alligator Alcatraz is a migrant detention center at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, named for its location in the Florida Everglades, which is home to many alligators. The facility was set up throughout June 2025 to house migrants illegally living in the United States and to "keep up" with President Trump's immigration policies. Memes about Alligator Alcatraz were popularized online in late June and early July 2025, many of which are AI-generated and depict alligators working at the facility as guards or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. On June 28th, 2025, the official Homeland Security Twitter / X page shared an Alligator Alcatraz meme, inspiring controversy, as some found the image insensitive and needlessly aggressive.

Origin

Reports that a migrant detention center called "Alligator Alcatraz" was to be opened in the Florida Everglades at the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, were first reported on in mid-June 2025.

One early report was posted to the Fox Business YouTube^[1] channel on June 17th, 2025, in which it is reported that the center would be the biggest ICE detention center in the state of Florida. Reportedly, the center is meant to "ease the pressure" on county jails, which are being used to house illegal immigrants.

On June 20th, the LiveNOW from FOX YouTube^[2] channel uploaded another report on Alligator Alcatraz, in which they quote Florida's Attorney General James Uthmeier, who says that if anyone were to escape the prison, the facility is "surrounded by only alligators and pythons." Uthmeier goes on to note the benefits of Alligator Alcatraz in a video edited into the report.

Memes about Alligator Alcatraz started appearing online as early as June 23rd, when X^[3] user @Jere_Memez posted a collection of AI-generated memes referencing the detention center, writing, "Once the NPCs hear about 'Alligator Alcatraz', you're gonna want a meme. Take as many as you need, leave one if you have it. 😆🐊," garnering around 20 likes in a week.

Spread

On June 24th, 2025, the CBS Miami YouTube^[4] channel uploaded a report tracking the progress of Alligator Alcatraz. During the report, it is claimed that there are plans to send over 1,000 immigrants to the center in the next month or two. There is then an interview with Betty Osceola, an advocate for the Miccosukee Tribe, whose land is nearby. The report also claims the detention center is temporary, although Osceola suggests they could change their minds.

On the same day, Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost posted a video to Instagram^[5] criticizing Alligator Alcatraz and the way the government has talked about it, specifically criticizing the comment about alligators and pythons surrounding the center, the speed at which they're building the center and claims that they're going to house immigrants in tents, not buildings, garnering over 6,400 likes in six days.

On June 27th, 2025, X^[6] user @catturd2 posted a photograph of the site of Alligator Alcatraz from a birds-eye-view, writing, "Alligator Alcatraz is what dreams are made out of," garnering over 37,000 likes in four days.

That same day, X^[7] user @kevinmyoung shared a post by the Alt National Parks Service claiming that they will be housing up to 5,000 immigrants in the center in July when heat is regularly 100-degrees Farenheit with no air conditioning, the poster writing, "You all under stand that this is a Concentration Camp, right?" garnering over 80,000 likes in four days.

On June 28th, the @DHSgov X^[8] account, the official account for the Department of Homeland Security, shared an AI-generated meme showing a lineup of alligators wearing ICE hats in a prison, writing, "Coming soon!" garnering over 82,000 likes in three days. Memes about Alligator Alcatraz became more widespread following the post.

On June 30th, X^[9] user @barrycunningham posted a meme showing an alligator being lifted into a truck, writing, "With the 1st pick in the 2025 Alligator Alcatraz draft…" garnering over 37,000 likes in a day.

On July 1st, 2025, X^[10] user @bennyjohnson posted a video of someone walking through Alligator Alcatraz, Johnson praising the facility and how quickly it was built, writing, "Now all the state needs is DOJ approval to deputize the National Guard as Deportation judges and this will become the most efficient deportation center in American history," garnering over 14,000 likes in under a day.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References