I’ve written in the past about the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which is located in the Everglades. Nowadays, it’s a small, nearly abandoned general aviation airport. However, the history of it is fascinating, as in 1968, there were plans for it to become the world’s biggest airport.
It looks like there are now new plans for the facility (thanks to Jeff for flagging this), though they’re no doubt controversial, and certainly less appealing to us aviation geeks…
In this post:
Florida airport to be turned into migrant detention facility
Recently, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier laid out a plan for Florida to turn the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport into a migrant detention facility, which he’s naming “Alligator Alcatraz.” In a video he posted to his own social media, he described this as follows:
“Efficient. Low cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility because you don’t need to invest that much into the perimeter. People, get out. There’s not much waiting for them, other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.”
The goal is to have this facility up and running by early July, with at least 1,000 beds (though in a later interview, Uthmeier increased that number to 5,000 beds). As Uthmeier described it, migrants will be housed in “light infrastructure,” including “heavy-duty tent facilities, trailer facilities.” “We’ll detain, deport and get people out of this country, it’s a great facility.”
Uthmeier acknowledged that “a lot of people thought maybe it was just a joke, but no, we’re serious,” and that “the perimeter is already set by Mother Nature.” The facility is expected to cost $450 million per year to run, though Florida will have the opportunity to seek reimbursement from the federal government.
Governor Ron DeSantis’ office has issued the following statement about the plan:
“Governor DeSantis has insisted that the state of Florida, under his leadership, will facilitate the federal government in enforcing immigration law. At the governor’s direction, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has drafted and submitted to DHS a plan (the State immigration Enforcement Operations Plan—attached) for Florida to further assist in the detention, processing, and deportation of illegal immigrants. Florida’s DEM has also offered to buy the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport for this purpose. Utilizing this space and/or others around the state, Florida will continue to lead in immigration enforcement.”
State tries to buy airport with lowball offer
The airport is owned by Miami-Dade, but state officials are able to take over this land under emergency powers granted to the governor under a declared state of emergency over illegal immigration, which was issued in 2023. Under Florida law, the governor has the power to use private property if it is deemed necessary to “cope” with an emergency.
With plans to use the facility in the long run, state and county officials are currently negotiating the purchase of the property, though they’re a long ways apart in terms of valuation. The state has offered to pay $20 million for the land, while a May 2025 appraisal assessed the land at $195 million.
Furthermore, the Miami-Dade County Mayor has raised concerns to state officials about developing the property, arguing that any changes require “considerable review and due diligence.” The Division of Emergency Management Director has said that it’s “imperative that we fully understand the scope and scale of the proposed use of the site and what will be developed, as the impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating.”
Bottom line
The Everglades’ Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which was once supposed to become the world’s largest airport, will be closed and turned into a migrant facility. This is all happening very quickly, and by July, there should be at least 1,000 people detained there.
Obviously we all have our political opinions on this, and in all honesty, that’s not the angle from which I’m coming at this. Instead, my most frequent route is between Miami (MIA) and Tampa (TPA), and every time I take this flight, I look at Flightradar24, specifically because I’m curious if I can spot this airport. This is just such a unique facility, when you consider what was almost built there. Obviously as a migrant facility, I’ll have a slightly different impression.
Gotta have some pen to store all the people grabbed off the street without due process. I’m surprised they didn’t just reactivate the Krome facility though.
GOOD!
I'm getting what I voted for. Deport all illegals.
Seems like a good idea. You would think those who don’t want illegal immigrant sent to Honduran prisons would favor something like this, but, alas, no. And that exposes their true motives - oppose anything Trump does, now including backing IRAN.
I think you mean Salvadorean prisons, not Honduran, but to some people I suppose they all look alike. The point is that it is being called a "temporary detention facility," which to me sounds like a way station before being shipped off to, let's say, South Sudan.
The US provides everyone 12 years of education and then expects some of them to spend the rest of their lives flipping burgers and making beds at...
I think you mean Salvadorean prisons, not Honduran, but to some people I suppose they all look alike. The point is that it is being called a "temporary detention facility," which to me sounds like a way station before being shipped off to, let's say, South Sudan.
The US provides everyone 12 years of education and then expects some of them to spend the rest of their lives flipping burgers and making beds at Motel 6. The fact is, the economy would fall apart without immigrants, especially in the agriculture and manufacturing sector. Come back when your 401(k) has lost 20% and tell us what you think of negative population growth.
@Ross
We should be encouraging Americans to have children, not import third worlders with limited education for economic growth. Machines can do those menial tasks you mention...
An interesting thought has just popped into my brain cell …. how many of those who have posted in response to this article are actually Native Americans?
One suspects that Native Americans would be very pleased to see most, if not all, immigrants banished from their homeland …. perish the thought …. :-)
Don't commit crimes and you won't have to worry about being sent to such a facility. But as usual people seem to think the worst of criminals are heroes. Never a word about the victims.
There's been quite a few innocents sent to these facilities in the past 4 months, but you lack the mental capacity to grapple with that. Nobody is against imprisoning actual violent criminals after those claims have convinced a jury in court of law, or deporting people who entered outside a port of entry and aren't trying to claim asylum. What people are against is picking up alleged "illegals" off the street and immediately sending them...
There's been quite a few innocents sent to these facilities in the past 4 months, but you lack the mental capacity to grapple with that. Nobody is against imprisoning actual violent criminals after those claims have convinced a jury in court of law, or deporting people who entered outside a port of entry and aren't trying to claim asylum. What people are against is picking up alleged "illegals" off the street and immediately sending them TO A FOREIGN PRISON without a trial. That's illegal, immoral, and un-American. Doesn't matter how they entered the country or what they're accused of.
There are innocents sent to prison after trials wrongly convicted them. Such wrongs need to be corrected and avoided, but we don’t just shut down the criminal justice system. But go ahead and insult someone’s “mental capacity” who has a broader and deeper perspective than you. As for “no one” opposing rounding up illegal immigrants who have committed non-immigration crimes, watch and read the news as well social media; there certainly are people who oppose...
There are innocents sent to prison after trials wrongly convicted them. Such wrongs need to be corrected and avoided, but we don’t just shut down the criminal justice system. But go ahead and insult someone’s “mental capacity” who has a broader and deeper perspective than you. As for “no one” opposing rounding up illegal immigrants who have committed non-immigration crimes, watch and read the news as well social media; there certainly are people who oppose this (or more accurately, they oppose literally anything Trump does, now including backing IRAN).
@AGrumpyOldMan_GA
If you agree that such wrongs need to be corrected and avoided, then why are you and George supporting the government making it easier to DO THE EXACT THING YOU ARE SAYING SHOULDN'T HAPPEN? Please, enlighten me. Because both you and Romey have backed the Trump admin's actions to put deportees IN PRISON indefinitely without any due process. Is your ability to question authority limited to when other team has power? Or just...
@AGrumpyOldMan_GA
If you agree that such wrongs need to be corrected and avoided, then why are you and George supporting the government making it easier to DO THE EXACT THING YOU ARE SAYING SHOULDN'T HAPPEN? Please, enlighten me. Because both you and Romey have backed the Trump admin's actions to put deportees IN PRISON indefinitely without any due process. Is your ability to question authority limited to when other team has power? Or just when that authority directly affects you?
A tent city in one of the most active hurricane zones, what could possibly go wrong? As others have said, the cruelty is the point.
Umm, pretty sure they would take other measures when a hurricane actually threatens.
>Uthmeier
Isn't this the clown that blatantly ignored a court order and got held in contempt for it? Something about directing state law enforcement to ignore a court stay and enforce an unconstitutional new state law?
The funny thing about the airport... it could have been a huge success and a blueprint for future airports. It needed high speed rail to feed it. Make it 15-20 minutes from West Palm, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Pete, Naples, etc - and it would have worked. So many other areas could have replicated it. Looking at you Dallas... San Fran/Oakland/San Jose... etc.
Better weather, easily expandable,
The cruelty is the point.
no need to be cruel if illegal immigrants dont break the law right.
Enforcing the law is cruel? Illogical. But “cruelty” is a common talking point.
Political theater and waste of taxpayer funds.
Wasn't the Grand Old Party about fiscal responsibility back in the days?
Speaking of regime change, if it does happen, exactly how much will it cost to ensure a stable and peaceful new government is established? In an era of no foreign aid. MTG is right when she just said "bait and switch."
Arbeit Macht Frei
America's worship of money and its culture of political theater and cruelty, knows no limits.