Alligator Alcatraz Closure
DeSantis Closes Controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Center in Everglades After Millions Spent
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Key Points
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The state spent about $406 million from Florida's Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to tackle illegal immigration through Alligator Alcatraz in the six months from August to February.
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Detainees were moved to other facilities across multiple states, including South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas.
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The site was built on a remote Everglades airstrip, described as an almost entirely abandoned airfield in the swamp.
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DeSantis characterized the facility as temporary, opened in July 2025, with expectations that it would last six months to a year and not be permanent.
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The name Alligator Alcatraz derives from the swamp's large alligator population, reportedly more than 200,000.
Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center has permanently closed after less than a year in operation, Governor Ron DeSantis announced. The facility, built on a remote Everglades airstrip, processed roughly 21,500 migrants for deportation before shutting down as hurricane season approached and federal detention capacity expanded elsewhere. NOTUS reported that all remaining detainees have been relocated.
The closure ends a chapter that cost Florida $406 million and sparked fierce debate over immigration enforcement, civil rights, and environmental damage in one of America's most sensitive ecosystems.
A $406 Million Temporary Fix in the Swamp
DeSantis opened the facility in July 2025 on a Cold War-era airstrip deep in the Everglades. Construction took just two weeks. The state tapped the Florida Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund — money normally reserved for hurricanes — to pay the bills. By February 2026, spending had hit $406 million, according to The Miami Herald.
At roughly $18,883 per detainee processed, the math drew scrutiny. DeSantis defended the price tag, saying, "We proved that Florida will not wait for a failing federal bureaucracy." He framed the closure as a win, arguing the state had forced the Department of Homeland Security to expand its own detention beds in Texas and Arizona. The Wall Street Journal noted the facility was always intended as a temporary bridge, not a permanent solution.
Detainees Sent Across Five States as Federal Beds Grew
The final group of roughly 400 detainees was moved out before the June 22 closure announcement. In total, migrants were relocated to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas. DHS confirmed it now has enough capacity to absorb the caseload, making the Everglades site redundant, according to NOTUS.
Over its lifespan, the facility processed between 21,000 and 22,000 people for deportation. The name "Alligator Alcatraz" came from the surrounding swamp, which is home to an estimated 200,000 alligators. Critics said the remote, wildlife-heavy setting amounted to deliberate intimidation. The ACLU of Florida's lead attorney called it impossible to "house thousands of people in a mosquito-infested swamp surrounded by apex predators and call it 'civilized' enforcement," as reported by Free Malaysia Today.
Environmental and Human Rights Damage Left Behind
Environmental groups filed lawsuits as early as October 2025, citing harm to the Everglades ecosystem. Biologists flagged gray water runoff and soil damage from temporary barracks and heavy machinery. The site is now being considered for restoration into the Everglades National Park footprint, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Human Rights Watch published a March 2026 report detailing what it called the psychological toll of isolation on detainees. Florida Democrats labeled the facility "an expensive, inhumane experiment." Supporters pushed back, with state lawmakers arguing that processing migrants in a remote location kept local communities safe.
Florida May Recover Only Half Its Costs From Washington
Florida is seeking federal reimbursement for the $406 million spent. But analysts at Florida TaxWatch estimate the state may only recover 50 to 60 cents on the dollar. That would leave a gap of more than $160 million heading into the 2027 budget cycle, according to Tallahassee Democrat.
DHS and Florida are still in negotiations over what qualifies as reimbursable "emergency" spending. The use of the emergency fund bypassed normal legislative bidding rules, a move critics said lacked accountability. Whether the "Florida Model" of state-led immigration enforcement proves cost-effective — or a cautionary tale — may depend on how much of that $406 million Tallahassee ever gets back.
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