MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A former detainee of the Florida immigrant detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz is being singled out by President Donald Trump.
It’s been nearly three weeks since Justo Betancourt was released from the facility, but it was on Sunday that Trump posted on social media about him.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “Welcome home to Justo Betancourt whose daughter Arianne, fought very hard to free her father from Alligator Alcatraz. Enjoy your freedom together!”
Local 10 News spoke to Arianne Betancourt about it on Monday.
“It is a surprise because I haven’t really been in support of these policies. I’ve been on the opposite end,” she said. “It’s just very confusing. I think myself and everyone else who read that is confused as to why us? And why a Cuban family? I think it has a lot to do with the political climate around Cuba at the moment and the importance of retaining the Cuban vote.”
Justo Betancourt, a Cuban national, spent six months in Alligator Alcatraz.
He was detained during a routine immigration check-in late last year.
A few weeks ago, a judge ruled he was in the detention center too long.
He spoke about what he thought of Trump’s post.
“When he loses a moment, when a decision doesn’t go his way, he tries to make fun of it,” he said in Spanish.
With reports that the facility is set to close this month, it’s not yet clear when that will be.
For Arianne Betancourt, she’s not sure if Trump’s post is a threat or not, but says at least it’s bringing attention to the detention center.
“I want them to shut down operations, but I want it to be treated like a crime scene and I want them to do a full investigation,” she said.
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