Donald Trump touring Alligator Alcatraz on July 1, 2025 | Picture courtesy of The White House via Wikipedia

 

Two Italian nationals, Fernando Eduardo Artese, 63, and Gaetano Cateno Mirabella Costa, 45, are being held in the notorious ICE detention centre dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida for immigration violations. Italy’s foreign ministry has acknowledged their detention but remains tight-lipped on specifics, citing privacy. The Italian government has yet to publicly address the situation or the conditions in the controversial facility.

 

Italian opposition figure Laura Boldrini has called on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to intervene. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the detentions, labelling both men as "criminal illegal aliens." Boldrini has criticised the current conditions, calling them unacceptable and seeking action from the Italian government to assist in their release.

 

Artese's daughter, Carla, explained that her father, who has dual Italian-Argentinian citizenship, had been living legally in the US but was caught over an outstanding warrant for a driving violation. He was detained during a family road trip intended to document their journey back to Argentina on YouTube.

 

According to the DHS, Artese has overstayed his visa since 2015. His daughter Carla has started a fundraising campaign to secure an attorney, expressing anguish over the inhumane conditions and lack of legal access her father faces.

 

Artese described the detention centre as a “concentration camp” in a previous interview.

 

Gaetano Mirabella Costa, also detained, spoke to Italy’s state broadcaster RAI, describing cramped and degrading conditions. Costa, with a criminal record including domestic violence and drug possession, overstayed his B2 visa by nearly seven years, as per DHS. His mother has criticised the harsh treatment he’s received, comparing it to being treated like a "dog."

 

The Italian Consulate in Miami remains in contact, though they haven’t disclosed further details. This international incident underscores ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and human rights within detention facilities.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN 2025-07-23

 

 

 

Overstay criminals. Too bad.

32 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Overstay criminals. Too bad.

With maga, cruelty is the point.

Alligator Alcatraz is highly visible American fascism theater.

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

With maga, cruelty is the point.

Alligator Alcatraz is highly visible American fascism theater.

In your world, enforcing the law is seen as cruel.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Costa, with a criminal record including domestic violence and drug possession

Sounds like an "immigrant" we can do without, no sympathy for a criminal.

Trump is keen to see his legacy as "The Great President". He will go down in history as the worst president in history.His criminal and inhumane edicts will let his name live in infamy. A disgrace to his country. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Carla has started a fundraising campaign ,

Oh, it's not only a British thing 😂

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

With maga, cruelty is the point.

Alligator Alcatraz is highly visible American fascism theater.

 

We can only hope

15 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Trump is keen to see his legacy as "The Great President". He will go down in history as the worst president in history.His criminal and inhumane edicts will let his name live in infamy. A disgrace to his country. 

 

Cry harder

3 hours ago, TedG said:

In your world, enforcing the law is seen as cruel.

And in your world detention in cruel degrading conditions without due process is acceptable.

18 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

Trump is keen to see his legacy as "The Great President". He will go down in history as the worst president in history.His criminal and inhumane edicts will let his name live in infamy. A disgrace to his country. 

Maybe if other countries leaders were more harsh with illegals they wouldn't have so many problems, like the UK does!

Appears as if the previous US administrations have ignored the Immigration laws to enhance cheap labor and influence voting through procreation of children on US soil.

 

Now it appears there is an Administration that intends to enforce the Immigration laws.

 

With all the riots and protesting, the efforts may be more productive in re-writing the Immigration laws.  I've read the US Constitution and congressional  laws were intended, at the will of the people, to change with future needs through the Amendment's.

Despicable! 😡

Cry me a bucket, it's not Colditz. They should show some entrepreneurial gumption and commence digging a tunnel. 

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

With maga, cruelty is the point.

Alligator Alcatraz is highly visible American fascism theater.

What is your wish? Place the criminals in a five star apartman hotel, with full service, and a hefty pocket money per month?

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

With maga, cruelty is the point.

Alligator Alcatraz is highly visible American fascism theater.

Try pulling the same stunt here. Then you can say "With Thais, cruelty is the point"

 

They overstayed. They broke the law. They got caught. Boo hoo.

What happens if you overstay in Italy?

What is the holding facility they use prior to deportation?

Would you be banned if you overstayed 10 years or 5 years or committed crimes?

 

I don't understand the outrage.  Every country I think exports overstayers.....just balancing the trade.

1 hour ago, expat_4_life said:

Sounds like an "immigrant" we can do without, no sympathy for a criminal.

Trump is a criminal.

Criminal records for domestic violence, drug possession and immigration violations including overstaying. Detention justified, but a trial should follow without delay. 

Not sure what Trump has to do with anything, except taking up space in the deranged folks mind. 

 

Criminals caught overstaying their visas have been jailed & deported, since visa have been used to stay in the USA, and probably every other country.

 

So if I overstay my visa here, TH, get deported, that's probably Trump's fault.   The 3M that Obama deported, was that's Trump's fault also, in the deranged minds.

 

About 35 years of visa program, and all those deportations, must be Trump's fault.

9 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Criminal records for domestic violence, drug possession and immigration violations including overstaying. Detention justified, but a trial should follow without delay. 

No trial necessary, visa overstayed ... immediate deportation IMHO

 

What is there to process, you no longer have permission to stay, that expired ... BYE BYE

 

Same thing happens here, TH, if I overstay, there's no trial, there's detained while waiting to get deported.  Your embassy rep might show up, tell you the obvious, you're an idiot, good luck.  If a Yank, they'll pay for the plane ticket, (full fare) and you pay them back, as soon as they garnish your wages or soc sec.

 

CNN ... creating news...

..."The Italian Consulate in Miami remains in contact, though they haven’t disclosed further details. This international incident underscores ongoing debates over immigration enforcement and human rights within detention facilities." ...

 

"International incident" ... 

 

Bay of Pigs or Cuban blockade, invading Iraq, is an international incident.  Overstaying you visa, is not.

1 hour ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

And in your world detention in cruel degrading conditions without due process is acceptable.

 

The lack of due process is a total fiction. The media is no longer crying about it bc the detainees get due process.

 

Moreover, many are placed in detention bc they failed to show up to court for last attempt at giving them due process - often felonies

 

Do you REALLY care about these people? Especially living in Thailand no less? No. You don't.

 

Cry harder

1 hour ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

And in your world detention in cruel degrading conditions without due process is acceptable.

 

ok,,  here's an idea..    let them loose .. 

 1a day and  at a time   say around  10pm no shoes no shirt..    just a bloody chopped up chicken strapped tp their back !

Trump is enforcing all the laws that the Biden Administration failed to enforce. Sorry, you come into the USA illegally then you deserve "Alligator Alcatraz"-PERIOD!! 

It's common knowledge since May of 2025 the DHS has offered free flights and $1,000 & forgiveness to people staying in America illegally to self-deport by using the CBP Home mobile app.  Anyone who has not taken advantage of this generosity given by Trump has therefore chosen to be a criminal. It was their choice!  Alligator Alcatraz and future detention centers are NOT country clubs.  These criminals need face the consequences of their criminal activity.  Hopefully they make these detention centers as harsh as possible, then the word will get out and maybe more will come forward to self-deport.  

5 hours ago, bogozy said:

What is your wish? Place the criminals in a five star apartman hotel, with full service, and a hefty pocket money per month?

 

That only happens in the People's Socialist Republic of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - and to those not familiar with the generosity of the British Marxist government towards illegal migrants, this is a fact.

 

I'm frankly surprised that hordes of Mexicans and Nicaraguans haven't taken the Leif Ericson route and headed towards Europe.  Seriously, if they got 20 miles offshore into the Atlantic (okay, the Gulf of Mex America) and radioed an SOS to the British border patrol, they'd send a boat down to pick them up.  I wish I was joking. 

37 minutes ago, kimothai said:

It's common knowledge since May of 2025 the DHS has offered free flights and $1,000 & forgiveness to people staying in America illegally to self-deport by using the CBP Home mobile app.  Anyone who has not taken advantage of this generosity given by Trump has therefore chosen to be a criminal. It was their choice!  Alligator Alcatraz and future detention centers are NOT country clubs.  These criminals need face the consequences of their criminal activity.  Hopefully they make these detention centers as harsh as possible, then the word will get out and maybe more will come forward to self-deport.  

72% of those detained in Alligator Alcatraz have no criminal history and no charges. I do agree that those who are convicted of criminal charges should be detained. 

15 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

72% of those detained in Alligator Alcatraz have no criminal history and no charges. I do agree that those who are convicted of criminal charges should be detained. 

Are you saying they didn't enter illegally or overstay their visa, or not show up for their next Imm interview?   If any of those 3, then they ARE criminals, and deserve deportation if not willing to observe US laws.

 

They had their due process, so straight to detention, then deportation.  Wasted enough tax dollars already being nice.

"Italy’s foreign ministry has acknowledged their detention but remains tight-lipped on specifics, citing privacy. The Italian government has yet to publicly address the situation or the conditions in the controversial facility."

 

Let me see if I can guess what the AN Epstein conspiracy theorists will say -

 

Tight-lipped because Giorgia Meloni is Trump's buddy.

 

How did I do Jing?

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Are you saying they didn't enter illegally or overstay their visa, or not show up for their next Imm interview?   If any of those 3, then they ARE criminals, and deserve deportation if not willing to observe US laws.

 

They had their due process, so straight to detention, then deportation.  Wasted enough tax dollars already being nice.

Being in US without authorization is not a criminal act but a civil infraction. Those detained were a mixed bag of people who had lawful status, overstayed their visa, people with temporary protected status and other forms of humantarian relief that Trump's administration has rescinded. There was a pastor and mother of new born who spend time there. The point is that there were much abuse in the arrests  and ddetention without due process. It is a disgrace.