US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said she is engaged in ongoing discussions with five states to establish migrant detention facilities. At a press conference yesterday, Noem said that these five states are led by Republican governors, but did not disclose their names. She also praised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for his collaboration with the DHS in successfully launching the Alligator Alcatraz detention centre.

Yesterday, Democrats called for the closure of Alligator Alcatraz after touring the controversial pop-up tent immigration detention center. The Alligator Alcatraz controversy revolves around rumors of an alligator being kept in the prison, but there’s no concrete evidence to support the claim.

The 100 square km facility was constructed in just eight days on the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, located within the Florida Everglades. The first group of immigrant detainees was transferred there in early July.
The US administration’s intensified efforts to crack down on illegal immigration has sparked concerns among human rights advocates over troubling reports about conditions.