Trump Pledges $608M to Build ‘Alligator Alcatraz’-Style Migrant Camps

The Trump administration has unveiled a $608 million grant program through FEMA to help states construct or expand temporary migrant detention sites modeled on Florida's Everglades "Alligator Alcatraz." Applications under the new Detention Support Grant Program, open through August 8, fall under FEMA's Shelter and Services umbrella.

Key details:

• Funds support construction or expansion of camps with natural and man-made barriers.


• Florida's prototype, built in eight days, holds up to 3,000 migrants and carries a $450 million annual operating cost.


• At least five states—including Idaho, Texas and Arizona—are already in talks with DHS, aligning with ICE's push to reach 100,000 detention beds by year-end.

President Trump is in Scotland this weekend not just for golf but to salvage a looming trade showdown with the European Union.

• On Sunday at Turnberry, Trump will hold private talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to negotiate down a proposed 30% tariff on EU goods.


• With the White House's tariff deadline now delayed to Friday, Trump says there is roughly a 50-50 chance of clinching a deal that would avert sharp import taxes and potential EU retaliation.

The outcome could reshape costs for American consumers and exporters if the world's two biggest trading partners avoid a tit-for-tat tariff war.

Ghislaine Maxwell has been granted limited immunity to cooperate with federal prosecutors in their ongoing Jeffrey Epstein probe, CNN reported. Over Thursday and Friday, Maxwell met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in Tallahassee, answering every question without invoking any privilege or refusing testimony.

The development intensifies pressure on President Trump, whose name appeared on Epstein flight logs in the 1990s despite his denials of wrongdoing. Trump, currently in Scotland, acknowledged he could pardon Maxwell but said it was "not on his mind."

The U.S. economy and markets head into an unprecedented week of A-list events and data releases. On deck: Q2 GDP on Wednesday, private and government payrolls reports, job openings and quits data, plus Thursday's core inflation and personal income figures. All will shape Wednesday's Fed decision and any hints at the rate cuts the White House has demanded.

Policy and legal risks loom large. Thursday brings oral arguments on the legality of Trump's tariffs—just before planned hikes to 15%–19%—while Beijing and Brussels race to strike trade deals that could sidestep higher levies. Concurrently, investors brace for earnings from 843 companies, led by Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Apple, after markets rallied 32% from April lows but now show overbought signals.

An AP-NORC poll finds President Trump's approval rating steady at 40% in July, nearly unchanged from 42% in March and well below the starts of recent second terms. Even his strongest issue—immigration—saw support dip from about half of U.S. adults to 43%, aligning with his overall approval.

Despite widespread disapproval of his tariffs and aggressive deportation policies, Trump's favorability has remained within a 33%–43% range over five years. Loyal voters across diverse states credit him for action over style, underscoring the resilience of his core base amid policy backlash.