Florida Representative Maxwell Frost, a Democrat, shared on Monday that immigrants are currently held at what the Trump administration dubs “Alligator Alcatraz,” a new detention center.
Frost visited the site recently and noted that he recognized himself in the individuals being detained there. “I saw hundreds of men, and I reflected on how these people looked like me or were around my age,” he mentioned during an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.”
He added, “As we walked through those doors, seeing the yachts near the concentration camp, I realized I was one of the few who resembled the individuals inside. It became clear to me that I needed to be careful about my own safety, as well as my ability to speak about what was happening there.”
Frost has a background that includes Puerto Rican, Lebanese, and Haitian heritage. He has been vocal against the administration’s recent strategies to detain and deport large numbers of immigrants, leaning heavily on his connections to various immigrant communities. His concerns about the conditions at “Wannial Catraz” have driven his description of the facility as a “concentration camp.”
Frost emphasized the diversity of languages and identities within detention facilities, asserting, “This isn’t even a detention center.” He pointed out that those held there haven’t been convicted of crimes and therefore should not face such treatment. “Even if someone were convicted, their treatment should still reflect basic human rights,” he stated.
Moreover, lawmakers in California are highlighting dismal conditions, including overcrowding, in West Coast detention centers. Frost criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies, suggesting they aim to racially profile individuals and reduce immigrant populations.
“They seem to want more people imprisoned and aim to ethnically cleanse the country of specific immigrant groups,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his time in that internment camp, he noted, “I didn’t see Europeans who had overstayed their visas. Instead, I only noted Latino and Haitian individuals. The enforcement visibly targets certain groups—groups that look like me.”
