Topics: US News, Politics, Donald Trump
Donald Trump has been criticised for his 'cruel' comments about a new migrant detention facility, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz'.
Since beginning his second term of presidency back in January, Trump has made some controversial decisions when it comes to immigration in the United States.
In his inaugural address, Trump promised that 'all illegal entry into the country will be halted' and that millions of 'criminal aliens' will be deported.
"All illegal entry will immediately be halted," he said at the time. "And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came."
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After Trump ordered the 'single largest mass deportation programme in history', raids have been carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the country in recent weeks, triggering outrage, protest and devastation amongst millions.
Now, in the latest of the Trump administration's plans to tackle illegal immigration, a new migrant detention facility is in the works in Florida, nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz'.
Located at an abandoned air strip in the middle of a Miami swamp, the facility was proposed by state lawmakers to support Trump's deportation agenda, the BBC reports.
The 'Alligator' nickname seemingly comes from comments made by Florida's attorney general James Uthmeier, in which he stated: "You don't need to invest that much in the perimeter. If people get out, there's not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons."
And it seems Trump has backed up this ideology surrounding the proposed facility, going by the controversial comments he made to press earlier today (July 1).
Outside the White House, the president was asked by a Fox News reporter: "With Alligator Alcatraz, is the idea that if some illegal immigrant escapes, they just get eaten by an alligator?"
Trump responded: "I guess that’s the concept. Snakes are fast but alligators... we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator. Don’t run in a straight line, run *waving hand* like this." Have a listen:
People online have been left stunned over Trump's 'evil' comments, with one pointing out: "Unspeakably cruel is a hallmark of MAGA. Democrats need to begin to adopt some of this cruelty toward the enemies of American ideals."
Another said: "When your immigration policy sounds like the plot of a dystopian horror movie, maybe, just maybe, you’re the villain."
Someone else simply penned: "The MAGA movement is evil," as another added: "Donnie is treating the idea of a concentration camp on US soil as a f**king joke. I'm sure something similar was said by German leadership during the Third Reich."
Tyla has contacted the White House for comment.
Authorities claim 'Alligator Alcatraz' will be able to house around 1,000 detainees, and is set to begin operations in July or August.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Republican Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis hinted that the facility being built in the middle of a swamp may not be the last.
Referring to the former US Army training facility over 300 miles north, DeSantis said: "We'll probably also do something similar up at Camp Blanding."
