U.S. President Donald Trump visits a temporary migrant detention center informally known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Ochopee, Florida, U.S., July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
A Florida state representative accused President Donald Trump on Tuesday of building a "modern-day concentration camp" in her state to house immigrants who are being deported.
Rep. Angie Nixon (D-FL) made the comments on CNN's "OutFront" with fill-in host Brianna Keilar, in response to questions about Trump visiting the facility, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."
"They want to take $450 million of our taxpayer money, and instead of ensuring that we don't have cuts to Medicaid or addressing issues like the rising cost of property insurance or quality schools for our kids to go to, they want to blow racist dog whistles and push xenophobia instead of handling the things that Floridians and real Americans care about."
"Alligator Alcatraz" has become a flashy new symbol of the Trump administration's deportation efforts. The building was built on an airport in the Florida Everglades, and rests on a 39-acre plot of land surrounded by snakes and alligators.
Trump administration officials, including Kristi Noem and former officials like Ken Cuccinelli, former acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, have come out in support of the building. Trump is also reportedly looking to create more "Alligator Alcatraz"-style prisons across the country.
"This is costing us millions and millions of dollars, and again, they're simply trying to make modern-day concentration camps, which is not what the American people asked for," Nixon continued.
You can watch the exchange here.