What is the annual cost of Alligator Alcatraz to taxpayers?

Former President Donald Trump’s latest immigration project, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” is drawing sharp criticism and concern over its staggering price tag. The Everglades-based facility is expected to cost taxpayers about $450 million annually.

The detention center, built on an old airstrip at the Dade-Collier Training and Transport Airport, is surrounded by natural “security” — alligators, snakes, and swarms of mosquitoes. Trump has touted it as both “secure and beautiful,” claiming the swamp’s predators serve as bodyguards.

Opening on July 1, the camp currently holds 3,000 detainees, with expansion plans to reach 5,000. Inside, rows of bunk beds are enclosed with chain-link fencing. Critics argue the site resembles a prison camp, created to double the national detention capacity.

Officials admit the facility’s remote location is intentional — designed to discourage migrants and push them toward self-deportation. Human rights groups, however, call the conditions cruel, describing them as both physically and psychologically harmful.

Some detainees have spoken out. Cuban migrant Rafel Collado compared it to a “dog cage,” citing dirty water and limited hygiene. Another, Juan Palma, described dangerous overcrowding, relentless mosquito bites, and harsh lighting with no sense of day or night.

Financially, opponents argue the numbers don’t add up. Housing one detainee costs more than $90,000 a year — over triple the cost of traditional centers. State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith called it “a $450 million bill for taxpayers” without accounting for hurricane risks.

With storm season looming, experts warn the camp could be devastated by a major hurricane. Lawmakers like Congresswoman Lois Frankel dismiss the project as a costly political gimmick, urging funds be redirected to more practical solutions.