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**Trump Tours “Alligator Alcatraz,” Deflects Medicaid Concerns Amid Immigration Push**

**Everglades, FL** – President Donald Trump toured the newly-constructed “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades this week, touting its impending use for “menacing migrants.” The facility, built atop a former landing strip, is slated to house 5,000 detainees and is projected to cost $450 million annually, funded in part by FEMA resources.

During a livestreamed event alongside Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Trump addressed the media, emphasizing his commitment to tackling immigration. The tour coincided with Senate passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which includes $150 billion over four years for Trump’s deportation agenda.

While praising the new detention center, Trump deflected questions about the potential impact of the bill on Medicaid coverage, downplaying estimates that 11.8 million people could lose healthcare. He asserted that the affected number would be “much smaller” and primarily represent “waste, fraud and abuse,” a claim fact-checkers have rated as false, noting that the bill’s changes go beyond addressing simple fraud.

Controversy arose around some of Trump’s statements, including a claim that the “average illegal alien costs American taxpayers an estimated $70,000.” This figure, originating from an organization favoring low immigration, was disputed by fact-checkers who cited the Congressional Budget Office, which found that increased immigration under Biden had a net positive impact on the GDP and federal deficits.

Trump also repeated unfounded claims regarding President Biden’s actions on immigration, falsely stating that Biden allowed 21 million “illegal aliens” to invade the country. This claim, based on border encounters, has been repeatedly debunked, as encounters do not equate to admissions, and millions have been expelled.

Adding to the unusual atmosphere, Secretary Noem claimed that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had detained a “cannibal” who “started to eat himself” on an airplane.

Governor DeSantis indicated that the facility would begin receiving detainees shortly after Trump’s departure, marking a significant step in the president’s immigration enforcement agenda.

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