'We Will End This': Weekly Vigils Grow to Pressure 'Alligator Alcatraz' Immigration Camp

Every Sunday afternoon since August, convoys of buses, cars, RVs and motorcycles have driven into the Everglades to join open‑air vigils outside the remote immigration detention complex nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz.' The gatherings began after the camp opened and after praise from former president Donald Trump and endorsement from Florida governor Ron DeSantis for its strict detention approach. A federal judge briefly ordered the facility closed in August, but an appeals court later reversed that order and the jail resumed operations.

Families, Faith Leaders and Veterans Speak Out

The vigils bring together family members of detainees, faith leaders, veterans, civil‑rights activists and grassroots organizers who say they are protesting alleged human‑rights abuses, lack of due process and summary deportations.

Arianne Betancourt described how her 54‑year‑old father, Justo, was detained during a routine immigration check‑in in October and quickly transferred to the Everglades facility. She says he is diabetic and was denied his prescribed twice‑daily insulin; staff allegedly told him 'he can get it in Mexico.' Betancourt attends the vigils to share resources and support other families facing similar uncertainty and fear of sudden deportation.

'They’re not giving people court dates, they’re not standing before a judge. They’re pulling them out of their cells at night, putting them on a plane and sending them to Mexico, regardless of where they’re from,' Betancourt said.

Pastor Andy Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church organized buses to the vigil after hearing reports about conditions inside the camp. He said the mix of worship and protest felt natural, noting that many faith traditions call for solidarity with the marginalized.

John Reynolds, an 81‑year‑old Vietnam veteran and former teacher, described the protests as a moral obligation. He said the imagery of detainees being taken from parks, churches and ordinary places was especially troubling and called for broader media exposure to educate the public about alleged abuses.

Lois Cohen, a 91‑year‑old civil‑rights activist who witnessed historic struggles for racial justice, attends weekly and described the vigils as an emotional, gut‑wrenching experience. She warned that many people remain unaware the facility resumed full operations after the appeals court decision, underscoring organizers' emphasis on publicity.

Coalition Building and Organizing

Noelle Damico, director of social justice at the Workers Circle, has helped turn the vigils into a sustained movement by mobilizing a broad coalition of church groups, unions, veterans, Native American tribes and advocacy organizations. She says the growth from small gatherings in August to regular crowds in the hundreds reflects people breaking isolation and joining together in shared purpose.

'It’s not a matter of if Alligator Alcatraz and the rest of the sprawling, cruel detention network will one day shut down, it’s a matter of when. And when is up to us,' Damico said.

Organizers expect turnout to increase over the holiday season and emphasize that media attention and public pressure are central to changing policy and ending practices they call unlawful and inhumane.

Looking Ahead

Whether through legal challenges, sustained public demonstrations or broader political pressure, protesters at the Everglades vigils say they will continue to push for closure of the detention network and for accountability for alleged abuses. For families like Betancourt’s, the vigils are both a place of solidarity and a platform to demand urgent action.