Trump’s Former Prison Chief Sounds Alarm on ‘Risky’ Alligator Alcatraz

A former top corrections official under President Donald Trump is raising serious concerns about Florida’s newly launched migrant detention center, warning that the high-profile project—dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”—is both unsafe and dangerously underprepared.

Hugh Hurwitz, who served as Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons during Trump’s first term, has publicly criticized the facility’s rapid construction and questioned its ability to manage detainees safely and efficiently.

Speaking to Mother Jones, Hurwitz emphasized that the rushed timeline, limited medical information about detainees, and broader staffing shortages in the corrections sector make the facility’s operations potentially hazardous.

Alligator Alcatraz, located at the remote Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Florida Everglades, is designed to house up to 5,000 migrants awaiting deportation proceedings.

At an estimated annual cost of $450 million, the facility is part of Governor Ron DeSantis’s efforts to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by reducing pressure on local law enforcement agencies.

But Hurwitz believes the center’s underlying logistical framework is flawed.

“In the Bureau of Prisons, we typically had inmates for long durations, so we were familiar with their medical needs and histories,” Hurwitz explained. “That allowed us to make informed decisions about how and where to house them safely. But ICE is working with short-term detainees whose medical histories are often unknown. That lack of information introduces substantial risk.”

The speed at which the facility was built has also drawn scrutiny. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invoked emergency powers in June to fast-track the transformation of the site. With the help of the National Guard and several private contractors, the state managed to open the facility by July 1—less than a month after its announcement.

President Trump, in a recent speech, praised the project, declaring it “might be as good as the real Alcatraz.”

Hurwitz, however, pushed back on the comparison and expressed skepticism about the process and standards involved.

“That was built by the state of Florida,” he said. “I’ve never been inside an ICE detention facility, but I can tell you that’s not how we would construct or operate a Bureau of Prisons facility.”

Beyond infrastructure and health logistics, staffing remains a major concern. Hurwitz noted that nearly all corrections systems—federal, state, and private—are grappling with shortages in qualified personnel.

“Hiring correctional officers has become increasingly difficult across the board,” he said. “Everyone is competing for the same pool of candidates. Even with salary hikes and other incentives, it’s still hard to attract and retain skilled staff.”

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Hurwitz’s warnings show the growing tension between immigration enforcement priorities and the practical realities of humane and secure detention. Whether “Alligator Alcatraz” becomes a model of modern enforcement or a cautionary tale remains to be seen.