Betty Osceola is a descendant of the Miccosuke tribe - she grew up in the famous Everglades Park in Florida. Her ancestors once hid from American soldiers in the swamps there. For her, the tropical areas are a sacred place. "Now this is our home. A place that we are spiritually connected to and where we hold our rituals. A place where we feel safe," says Betty.
"Alligators are bodyguards"
In the center of this sacred land for the Native American tribe, however, the state of Florida has decided to build a prison. They call it "Alcatraz with alligators" - this is a prison for foreigners who are considered criminals and who need to be deported. There is room for 3,000 prisoners.
The American president called the new prison "Alcatraz" because, according to him, it is made in the likeness of the original - there is no way to escape from it. "There are a lot of police officers and the bodyguards are alligators", said Donald Trump. "And we don't have to pay them."
Bad conditions?
Attorney Katie Blankenship represents five people who are in this prison. She tells ARD that the conditions in the prison are very bad. "They only get one meal a day. It's full of insects. It floods and they are denied medical care," she explains. "It seems that people there are in real danger of illness and even death", the lawyer says.
The government denies the allegations. Kevin Guthrie of the Florida Emergency Management Agency explains that the prison is air-conditioned and has generators. According to him, each prisoner receives three meals a day and medical care is available to them 24 hours a day. "The detention center is spread over 15,000 square meters and is made of aluminum tents that are designed to withstand category two hurricanes - in case you think we didn't take that into account," Guthrie explained before the prison was put into operation.
Complaints from environmentalists
The materials for the construction of the prison, the fuel, the fresh water - everything is transported to the site by truck. Conservationists like Eve Samples worry that the light and noise could be a problem for wildlife in the area. The wastewater could also contaminate groundwater. Samples says a lawsuit has already been filed. "The state and federal governments have refused to comply with the law that requires an environmental impact assessment before taking such action."
Operation "Alcatraz with alligators" is said to cost about $450 million a year. Betty Osceola would rather that money be invested in the conservation of the Everglades. Every day she prays for a better future for her ancestral land. She also prays for illegal immigrants, some of whom have been living in the United States for decades. "People are angry because they are afraid. "They just want to be treated like human beings," says the local woman.
Author: Torben Børgers