But data and news reports about the first month’s arrivals show the majority of Alligator Alcatraz’s detainees do not have U.S. criminal convictions.  President Donald Trump, federal officials and Florida Republicans touted the remote Everglades immigration detention centers — dubbed Alligator Alcatraz — as a place to detain people deemed the "worst of the worst.

Editor's note: The little-used airstrip in the Everglades that the state is using to build a detention center for immigrants, dubbed " Alligator Alcatraz ," is part of a storied history involving Palm Beach County at one point.

Newsweek spoke with the attorney of a detainee and the friend of another. Both described harrowing conditions at the remote facility.

Trump administration officials want "Alligator Alcatraz" to be a blueprint, but Democrats are pushing back on expansion.

This facility’s purpose fits the classic model, and its existence points to serious dangers ahead for the country.

The remote facility in the Florida Everglades is expected to cost the state about $450 million annually to operate.

Some people detained at the facility have violent criminal histories. But data and news reports about the first month’s arrivals show the majority of Alligator Alcatraz’s detainees do not have U.S. criminal convictions.

Without permanent structures, electricity or running water, logistical headaches have emerged at “Alligator Alcatraz.”