Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried issued the following statement after state legislators were blocked from entering the make-shift camp known as “Alligator Alcatraz”:

“Lawmakers on the ground were just blocked from entering a state-funded detention site because of so-called ‘safety concerns’. This is a taxpayer-funded facility, run by the State of Florida. Our elected officials have every legal right to walk through those gates. 

What are Ron DeSantis and his administration trying to hide? If it’s unsafe for lawmakers to visit, how is it safe for anyone inside?

Today we also learned, through new court filings, that the Department of Homeland Security hasn’t authorized, implemented, or funded this project and FEMA hasn’t even received an application to reimburse the $450 million a year Florida will be spending on this political stunt.

DeSantis is stealing $450 million of taxpayer dollars—money that should be going to fix Florida’s property insurance crisis, strengthen public schools, expand Medicaid, and build affordable housing. Everyday Floridians and immigrant families are paying for this cruel political stunt.”