While Florida officials deny accusations of inhumane conditions at “Alligator Alcatraz,” the new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Paul Renner (R) made a suggestion to Governor Ron DeSantis on social media.
Renner wrote today on social media: “Want to solve violent crimes and missing persons? As Speaker, we funded rapid DNA for law enforcement. Swab EVERY criminal alien detainee at Alligator Alacatraz [sic] ASAP. Retweet if you agree!”
Want to solve violent crimes and missing persons? As Speaker, we funded rapid DNA for law enforcement. Swab EVERY criminal alien detainee at Alligator Alacatraz ASAP. Retweet if you agree! @GovRonDeSantis
— Paul Renner (@Paul_Renner) July 11, 2025
Many individual rights advocates who oppose Renner’s idea are leaving comments, including: “They aren’t criminals until they have been convicted of a crime.” Another cheekily suggested that DeSantis “swab anyone who holds a public office! Can’t have criminals running our state.”
Why are you saying this camp is full of criminals when it’s really full of whatever random people you’ve rounded up and kept there? https://t.co/ghfenam6fg
— L’homme à la Floridienne (@dekabri91046268) July 11, 2025
Note: In April, appointed by DeSantis, Renner joined the 17-member Board of Governors for the State University System of Florida, which comprises 12 universities and more than 430,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation.
While the Board of Governors’ primary focus is on the State University System, some actions related to education and immigration have emerged, including requiring undocumented students who graduated from Florida high schools to pay out-of-state tuition at Florida universities.
DeSantis, who has said that he believes the state’s universities and colleges shouldn’t admit students lacking permanent legal status, signed legislation in February which mandates out-of-state tuition prices for undocumented students at Florida universities, even if they are Florida residents. The legislation went into effect on July 1.
Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) responded to the legislation: “For those students who are currently enrolled, the vast majority of them — they will drop out of school.” He added, “You have priced them out of higher education. You have priced them out of getting a degree.”