An upcoming demonstration is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Sunday at 54575 Tamiami Trail. This demonstration is held in opposition to a state-proposed plan to construct an immigrant detention site on the grounds of an old airfield located within the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Different organizations committed to preserving nature will congregate in the Everglades during Sunday morning. Their assembly is in response to the state’s proposal of creating an immigration detention facility at the ex-Everglades Jetport, which is situated within the protected area of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
James Uthmeier, the Attorney General of the state of Florida, is the representative who recently proposed this plan. He has labeled the initiative ‘The Alligator Alcatraz’. The core idea of this proposal involves converting the deserted airfield into a detention site. This facility would primarily serve to detent immigrants with a record of past criminal offenses.
This particularly remote and isolated location was chosen intentionally, under the belief that it would minimize potential escape attempts owing to its geographic constraints. The state believes that the facility can be operation-ready swiftly, taking only between 30 to 60 days after the construction begins.
Early estimates suggest that the proposed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ could potentially accommodate around 1000 detainees who have criminal backgrounds. This move is in alignment with the governor’s instructions to the state leaders, urging them to identify suitable locations that can be repurposed into temporary detention facilities.
This Sunday, the demonstration against the abovementioned proposal is scheduled at 54575 Tamiami Trail. The protest efforts are coordinated by Betty Osceola, a Native American grandmother of the Everglades region, known for her environmental activism and educational efforts.
The protest is receiving support from ‘Love The Everglades Movement’ and ‘Friends of the Everglades’ – both prominent advocates in preserving the Everglades. The group joins hands in opposing the creation of the proposed immigrant detention center positioned within the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Clyde Butcher, a renowned nature and Everglades photographer, and his wife Nikki have also shown solidarity with the cause. They, along with their team from The Big Cypress Gallery, have decided to participate in the demonstration. The site proposed for this detention facility is noteworthy for being just six miles east of The Big Cypress Gallery.
The selection of this particular site has a rich backstory. The initial runway on this land was originally designed as a substitute runway for the Miami International Airport to aid in serving the South Florida region.
In the 1970s, a unified effort from conservationists, Indigenous leaders, and ordinary citizens concerned about the preservation of natural habitats disrupted the project. For many reasons, this project was terminated before completion.
Aside from environmental concerns, this area holds significant cultural and emotional value to the local indigenous populace. It has been a sacred site and served as a home for countless generations of Florida’s native communities.
These portions of land mark as the origination point of the ‘Friends of the Everglades’. This organization was established in the year of 1969 by Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Their main mission was to rally a community response against the development of the airport.
These lands and the ecosystem they house present an invaluable heritage that has been under protection for decades. The idea of transforming this preserved land into a detention facility has triggered significant opposition.