President Donald Trump is expected to attend on Tuesday the opening of a temporary migrant detention facility in Florida’s Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
What Happened: The visit underscores Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement strategy that has triggered market volatility for companies dependent on immigrant labor, Reuters reported, citing sources.
The remote detention center earned its nickname from its location deep in the Everglades, where alligators, crocodiles and pythons provide natural security barriers with minimal staffing requirements, according to Florida officials. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested Trump’s attendance at the facility opening.
Federal immigration detention numbers have surged 44% to 56,000 as of June 15, up from 39,000 when Trump took office in January. The administration has been aggressively seeking additional detention capacity to support what Trump calls “the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”
The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.
Why It Matters: Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations now arrest 2,000 immigration offenders daily, significantly exceeding the 311 daily average under former President Joe Biden. The intensified enforcement has disrupted business operations at major retailers, including The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:HD), where federal raids targeted stores in California without prior company notification.
Technology companies are capitalizing on enforcement efforts. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) secured a $29.8 million ICE contract for its ImmigrationOS tracking system, designed to monitor visa overstays and self-deportations with “near real-time visibility.”
The Trump administration has reactivated the World War II-era Alien Registration Act, requiring all non-citizens to register with the federal government after 75 years of non-enforcement. Officials estimate 3.2 million immigrants remain unregistered under the new regime.
Border apprehensions have plummeted to under 10,000 monthly from over 100,000 a year ago, according to government data. Despite this decline, Trump maintains his deportation agenda, with immigration chief Tom Homan confirming 200,000 deportations over four months.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Maxim Elramsisy / Shutterstock.com
