Trump Shows Interest in DeSantis’ Proposal to Use National Guardsmen as Immigration Judges at Alligator Alcatraz

Trump Backs DeSantis’ Plan for Immigration Judges

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump seemed to express support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ initiative to appoint National Guard members as immigration judges in order to expedite the court process associated with the new “Crocodile Alcatraz.”

DeSantis informed reporters that Florida received approval to collaborate with Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish this National Guard immigration judge, which would ideally allow detainees to navigate the immigration court process in “a day or two.” Trump appeared familiar with the proposal, giving a nod in agreement.

“We’re allowing members of the Florida National Guard to step in as immigration judges, working alongside the Department of Justice for necessary approvals,” DeSantis mentioned, receiving affirmation from Trump. DeSantis criticized former President Joe Biden for a perceived delay in immigration proceedings, stating, “This could look like just a day or two. They shouldn’t have to be detained for long.”

DeSantis went on to say that the state aims to “cut through” bureaucratic red tape in a bid to more effectively tackle illegal immigration.

“We want to eliminate that bureaucracy,” he added. “Efficient operations have been initiated between Florida and the Department of Homeland Security, and we’ve already removed several illegal immigrants.”

Under Biden’s administration, numerous states enacted laws preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from holding illegal immigrant criminals during their wait for immigration hearings. Meanwhile, a former top official at the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, oversaw historically low arrest numbers by ICE agents while illegal crossings surged to record levels.

There’s a significant backlog in the court system, causing illegal immigrants to potentially wait months, or even years, for their court dates.

On Tuesday, Trump is set to visit the Florida Everglades to tour the new detention center, which will include a walking tour and a roundtable discussion. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that “the worst of the worst” criminals are housed at this facility, including those convicted of serious offenses like murder, child exploitation, and other severe crimes.