State of Florida and federal officials are discussing the closure of the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center, according to the New York Times.
The detention center, which opened in July 2025 in the Everglades to hold migrants for deportation, has faced opposition from activist groups. “Friends of the Everglades” filed a lawsuit that accused the state of violating environmental laws and hiding public records.
DeSantis said that the plans for “Alligator Alcatraz” were always temporary
During a press conference in Lakeland, Gov. Ron DeSantis said plans for the detention center were always temporary. DeSantis defended the site, stating it made Florida safer and saved lives. He also noted the state would be reimbursed for the cost of running the facility by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
DeSantis predicted the eventual wind-down of the site. “Everything we said would happen, would happen,” DeSantis said. “It’ll eventually break down. It’ll eventually be wound down, and then it will return to status quo, and there’s not going to be development there. There’s not going to be any of that”.
Critics are hoping the facility’s days are numbered
Jessica Namath, who represents Floridians for Public Lands, criticized the use of government power to create the facility. “It’s a frustrating thing to see the state use a state of emergency and eminent domain to make moves like this cause it’s a pattern that we could see others do as well in other places by both sides of the aisle,” Namath said. “The Democrats and the Republicans could do it. So, I think everyone should be concerned about the way this unfolded”.
Data from U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fiscal Year 2026 shows two out of every three detainees in the facility carry “non-criminal labels,” and more than half have “no ICE threat” labels.
Last month, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz toured the site and offered a sharp critique in a statement to CBS News Miami. “It’s sickening that (President) Trump and DeSantis cram people with no criminal history into inhumane cages while Florida taxpayers foot the outrageous, wasteful bill,” Wasserman-Schultz said. “The monument to cruelty ought to be shut down immediately”.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella-Levine Cava reacted to the New York Times report with a statement on X that read:
“Today’s news that Alligator Alcatraz may finally be shut down is long overdue. For months, thousands have been detained there in inhumane conditions without meaningful due process–while wasting millions of taxpayer dollars. It is time for dignity & accountability to be restored.”
The Department of Homeland Security denies reports of federal pressure to close the facility
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded in a separate statement, denying reports that the department is pressuring the state to cease operations at the facility.
“Florida continues to be a valuable partner in advancing President Trump’s immigration agenda, and DHS appreciates their support,” the DHS statement said. The department added that it “continuously evaluates detention needs and requirements to ensure they meet the latest operational requirements” and reviews reimbursement requests “to ensure costs are allowable and validated expenses that are eligible for reimbursement prior to releasing funding”.
