The Archdiocese of Miami has celebrated its first Mass at Florida’s notorious immigrant detention centre, “Alligator Alcatraz,” deep in the Everglades.
On 2 August 2025, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski confirmed that “after months of dialogue” with Florida’s Catholic bishops, archdiocesan leadership, and state correctional authorities, an agreement had been reached granting chaplains and pastoral ministers “full access” to detainees and staff. The facility, formally situated at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, is estimated to hold 3,000 people, with plans for expansion to 5,000.
“I am pleased that our request to provide for the pastoral care of the detainees has been accommodated,” Archbishop Wenski said in a statement released on 3 August. “Also, we were able to respond to a request to provide similar service to the staff who reside at the facility.”
The breakthrough followed a 15 July motorcycle pilgrimage by the archbishop and 25 Knights of Columbus, who prayed the rosary outside the gates. He described the centre to OSV News as “basically in a swamp” with “numerous alligators and pythons … and tons and tons of mosquitoes.”
In a 23 July interview, the archbishop denounced “dehumanising” conditions reported by Human Rights Watch, citing overcrowding, lack of medical care, and the facility’s remoteness from hospitals. “The name of the place, the jokes that were made … seem to be wanting to dehumanise the detainees. That’s not worthy of our country,” he said.
Regular liturgical celebrations will now continue “following the facility’s guidelines and the pastoral availability of our clergy,” with the stated aim of maintaining “a successful and consistent Catholic presence” that meets the “spiritual needs of both detainees and staff.”
“The Church has no borders, for we all are members of one human family,” Archbishop Wenski said. “Our agenda was always to announce the good news to the poor.”
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