Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) appears to be relishing in Florida’s new immigrant detention center, a makeshift facility that is surrounded by dangerous wildlife and has been dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” and says she wants her home state of South Carolina to have one, too.
“Dear DHS: We’ve got a swamp and a dream,” Mace wrote Tuesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Let’s talk. South Carolina’s gators are ready. And they’re not big on paperwork. If I was Governor, we’d be bringing Alligator Alcatraz to South Carolina.”
Mace was slammed on social media as “disturbed,” “vile” and “grotesque” for celebrating the facility, which legal experts warn could unwittingly foster human rights abuses. Mace accompanied her post with a selfie showing her wearing body armor — which didn’t escape her critics.
“Your constant need to be the center of attention truly is something to witness,” wrote one user on X. “Like how can someone so vapid somehow consume so much oxygen that our trees work hard to produce? Whose vest did you even borrow for this photo op?”
Others were far more disturbed with her seeming glee at the prospect of caging migrants.
“This seems perverse. Where is the precedent for this in the teachings of Christ?” wrote one user, with another person commenting: “Translation: Nancy Mace is in favor of concentration camps for illegal immigrants (soon to be citizens more than likely).”
President Donald Trump on Tuesday visited the Florida facility, which was built in a matter of days on wetland brimming with pythons and alligators, and joked ahead of his trip that immigrants who try to escape will have to learn how to run away from the deadly predators.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
“Snakes are fast but alligators — we’re going to teach them how to run away from an alligator. … Don’t run in a straight line, run like this,” Trump told the press while making a zigzag motion with his hands. “You know what, your chances go up about 1%.”
The facility, backed by the state government and the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to hold as many as 5,000 beds. Trump was joined during his visit by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his former GOP nemesis in the 2024 primary elections.
While Trump is getting mocked for the way he described his new relationship with DeSantis, Mace — who posted a video in January of a ride-along with ICE agents to catch undocumented workers — is being pilloried for her seeming indifference to their struggle.
Imagine pitching alligators as immigration policy while your state ranks near the bottom in healthcare, education, and basic services. Girl, this ain’t leadership. What this is, is bullshit in a trucker hat.
— Nadine🇨🇦🇫🇷🇨🇿 (@StillUnscripted) July 2, 2025