A newly opened immigration detention facility in South Florida—nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”—is facing growing criticism and protests for its harsh conditions and controversial branding. The center, built on a remote airstrip surrounded by Everglades swampland, can reportedly hold up to 3,000 detainees in dormitories enclosed by chain-link fencing.
While critics have described it as an “inhumane, makeshift prison camp,” some supporters, including Trump allies, are applauding the site as a “cost-effective” solution to immigration enforcement.
MAGA Influencer Draws Outrage for Flaunting “Alligator Alcatraz” Merch
Benny Johnson, a right-wing media personality and staunch Trump supporter, drew fierce backlash online after posting a video of himself wearing what he called “official Alligator Alcatraz merch.”
“Hi guys. I have just been handed official Alligator Alcatraz merch. I repeat, this prison has merch. Things are going insanely well,” Johnson said in the video posted to X (formerly Twitter), as he smiled and displayed a hat featuring an alligator graphic and the word “Alcatraz.”
The post quickly ignited outrage, with many accusing Johnson of mocking human suffering.
Social Media Reacts: “You’re Laughing About Human Beings”
Reaction to Johnson’s post was swift and heated.
- “These are human beings you’re laughing about,” one user wrote.
- “Imagine Nazi merch in the 1930s labeled ‘Alligator Auschwitz’. That’s the dystopia we’re entering,” another posted.
- One user warned: “Benny, that place will be housing Americans in the not-so-distant future. Won’t be so cool then.”
- Another criticized the broader culture: “Bragging about prisons and mocking deportees puts us beneath the rest of the civilized world. This is shameful.”
However, a small number of supporters praised the merch and echoed Johnson’s enthusiasm.
Why Is It Called “Alligator Alcatraz”?
The facility earned its nickname due to its remote location deep in the Everglades, surrounded by treacherous swamp terrain, including mosquitoes, pythons, and alligators.
“We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation,” President Trump said at a recent event, praising the center as a model of immigration enforcement.
“You need a lot of bodyguards and cops—well, we’ve got alligators,” he added.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also highlighted the location’s strategic appeal:
“This 30-square-mile area is completely isolated. We don’t need to spend much on fences. If people escape, they’re met with alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.”
While the Trump administration and its supporters continue to defend the facility as practical and cost-saving, critics warn that the optics—and the reality—reflect a deep moral and humanitarian crisis. The juxtaposition of merch sales and human detention has only intensified the debate.
