Cashing In  — Financially and Politically — on Mass Detention

As it continues to signal its contempt for the rule of law, the Trump administration has taken aim at the mechanisms used to investigate the human toll of its deportation agenda, using immigrants as political pawns to bolster Trump’s strongman image. And key allies are profiting. 

A new detention center in the Everglades — which supporters have callously referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz” — has become a boon for those wishing to cash in on Trump’s draconian and inhumane immigration policies.

• The Florida Republican Party, state Attorney General James Uthmeier’s 2026 campaign, and a PAC affiliated with Gov. Ron DeSantis are all selling merchandise celebrating the facility. 
• Two of the companies hired to build it made campaign contributions to DeSantis and Trump.
• White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has a significant financial stake in Palantir Technologies, a data analysis and technology firm that works with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has described the company as “mission critical.” 
• Uthmeier and the DeSantis administration have been particularly eager to demonstrate their support for Trump’s anti-immigration efforts through the expansion of local law enforcement power. Last week, he threatened to remove Key West city commissioners from office for voting to void the city’s 287(g) agreement with ICE, which allows local officers to act as immigrant enforcement agents. His bully tactics worked: The commissioners voted to reenter the partnership this week.

While Trump, DeSantis, Uthmeier, and the Department of Homeland Security continue to use the Everglades facility to appeal to their base, the risk of abuse is magnified thanks to the dismantling of internal oversight mechanisms at the department.  

• In the spring, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem closed three oversight offices and cut staff from hundreds to a mere dozen, severely hampering internal watchdogs’ ability to investigate issues as the agency ramps up raids, deportations, and detention. 
• The administration has also limited the ability of external officials to conduct lawful oversight. Members of Congress were denied entry to a federal detention facility last month; ICE subsequently released new guidance requiring members of Congress to provide 72 hours’ notice prior to any facility visit — a brazen attempt to shield abuse from scrutiny.
• Last week, five Florida lawmakers were denied entry to the Everglades facility as they attempted to conduct a lawful inspection. Earlier that day, Trump and Republican officials had toured the site. 

It should come as no surprise that this hampering of oversight is happening alongside gross abuses of power — including blatant defiance of the rule of law. 

• This week, records released to Congress provided additional evidence that Emil Bove — a top DOJ official and Trump’s nominee for a lifetime judicial appointment — suggested defying court orders to help speed up deportations, even instructing DOJ lawyers to tell courts “f— you.” 
• In light of these damning allegations, we sued the Department of Justice on Thursday for records that could shed light on his actions.

This lawsuit builds upon our previous efforts to hold Bove accountable. In February, we filed a formal bar complaint against him for his role overseeing and directing the corrupt dismissal of criminal charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for Adams’ cooperation on immigration enforcement, reportedly by threatening to fire attorneys.

• Last month, we renewed our request for an investigation — and urged the Senate to reject Bove’s nomination, which is moving toward a vote by the Judiciary Committee. 
• Bove’s alleged misconduct is inconsistent with the ethical obligations of a federal judge. The public needs to see the full record of Bove’s potential misconduct before he is considered for a lifetime appointment. 

Other Stories We’re Following

Trump Administration Accountability

• Cuts to DHS watchdogs spark more questions as deportation efforts increase (CNN)
• Texas flooding, and politics around it, underscore the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA (Associated Press)
• Gabbard’s team has sought spy agency data to enforce Trump’s agenda (Washington Post)
• Comey tracked by Secret Service after post critical of Trump (New York Times)
• State Department to soon begin mass layoffs (Boston Globe) 
• Social Security pulls field office staff to answer overwhelmed phone line (Washington Post) 
• Inside the collapse of the FDA (New York Times) 
• Withholding agency funds at the end of the year under consideration, White House says (Government Executive) 
• FEMA will no longer go door-to-door to assist disaster victims (Mother Jones) 
• DOGE keeps gaining access to sensitive data. Now, it can cut off billions to farmers (NPR) 
• Trump administration increases scrutiny of another Virginia university (Washington Post)
• Bondi made changes to DOJ policy. Her former client Pfizer might have benefited (Miami Herald) 
• The FBI is using polygraphs to test officials’ loyalty (New York Times) 
• RFK Jr. cuts access to free programs, Head Start for undocumented immigrants (Axios)

Elections and Voting Rights

• DOJ demands access to Minnesota’s voter rolls (Democracy Docket) 
• Nearly half of election officials concerned about politically motivated investigations (Politico) 
• DOJ presses Pennsylvania for answers on how it manages voter rolls (Votebeat) 

In the States

• Residents still shaken a day after federal authorities march through Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park (Associated Press)
• Oklahoma State Education Department announces new partnership with PragerU (KFOR Oklahoma City) 
• Supreme Court keeps hold on Florida immigration law aimed at people in the US illegally (Associated Press)

National News

• US measles cases reach 33-year record high as outbreaks spread (Washington Post)
• Rural hospitals brace for painful choices after Trump’s Medicaid and Obamacare cuts (NBC News)
• Judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship order in class-action challenge (New York Times) 

LGBTQ+ Rights

• Many medical treatments could be affected by Supreme Court transgender ruling (Stateline)
• Louisiana Medicaid quietly stops reimbursing patients for gender-related prescriptions (Louisiana Illuminator)
• Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be enacted (Associated Press)
• Justice Department demands patient details from trans medicine providers (New York Times) 

Abortion and Reproductive Rights

• New tax law makes Planned Parenthood choose: Abortions or basic care (Washington Post)
• Planned Parenthood wins a temporary injunction over Medicaid funding (New York Times)
• Doctors, advocates hold out hope for appeals in abortion privacy rule case (News from the States)

Government Transparency and Public Records Law

• Wisconsin bill aims to discourage governments from delaying the release of public records (Wisconsin Public Radio)

Immigration

• Trump loves ICE. Its workforce has never been so miserable. (Atlantic)    
• Immigration Officials Used Shadowy Pro-Israel Group to Target Student Activists (New York Times)
• DACA recipient detained at Alligator Alcatraz, attorney says. ‘We don’t know why’ (Miami Herald)
• U.S. pushes more African countries to accept deported migrants (Wall Street Journal)
• Cuts to DHS watchdogs spark more questions as deportation efforts increase (CNN)
• Trump’s $5 million ‘gold card’ visa might never happen (Washington Post)
• Supreme Court keeps hold on Florida immigration law aimed at people in the US illegally (Associated Press)