Mexico Asks US for ‘Immediate Repatriation’ of Mexicans Detained in Alligator Alcatraz

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on Feb. 3, 2025. Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on July 30 that 30 Mexicans are currently being held at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport detention center in Florida.

The center is more commonly referred to as Alligator Alcatraz because of its remote location deep in the Florida Everglades swamps, with a large population of alligators and snakes. It began operations on July 1 as a detention center for illegal immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and awaiting prosecution and deportation.

During a press conference on July 30, Sheinbaum said that the Mexican consul general in Miami, Rutilio Escandón, “has been at this new detention center, Alligator Alcatraz,’ for three days now.”

“He has been there—it is a very large place, from what he tells us—and he has been looking for all the Mexicans who are there to give them all the support they need,” she said.

“I have a note this morning that there are 30 Mexicans with whom he had contact, and who are being supported.

“An immigration note was sent by the foreign minister, and Roberto [Velasco Álvarez, head of the Unit for North America] has also been working extraordinarily hard, demanding that Mexicans who were able to enter this detention center be repatriated immediately.

“They had no reason to be in these detention centers. Under U.S. law, we want them to arrive in our country immediately and not be detained in this way.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the head of the SRE’s North America Unit for comment.

On July 29, Escandón confirmed his visit to the detention center, where he said he interviewed more than 30 Mexicans “to verify that they were in healthy and hygienic conditions.”

“In addition to verifying that they have access to communicate with their families free of charge and have medical care and necessary medicines,” he said.

“We will not allow any restrictions on the human rights of our detained compatriots.”

Mexican brothers Carlos Martín and Óscar Alejandro González, who were detained at Alligator Alcatraz, were released and deported to Mexico “without charges and with their valid documents,” Álvarez reported on July 27 via X.

“The SRE remains attentive to the Mexicans who are still detained at that center. On the orders of President Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister [Juan Ramón] De la Fuente, we are monitoring to ensure that their immigration proceedings are carried out in accordance with due process and respect for human dignity,” he said.

In a July 23 statement, the Permanent Commission of the Mexican Congress alleged that the Mexicans were “illegally detained there,” called for their release, and demanded “the definitive closure of that infamous prison.”