One year after it opened, Alligator Alcatraz, the detention center used by Florida and the federal government to house undocumented immigrants, is shutting down.
“Alligator Alcatraz fulfilled the role that it was designed to serve,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, the location of the tented immigration detention center.
“Today it now has zero detainees. It has helped remove many, many dangerous people from the street and get them out, not only the state of Florida, but the United States of America,” he said.
Behind a lectern with a sign that read “Florida Leads on Immigration Enforcement,” DeSantis was joined by White House Border Czar Tom Homan and Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Director Anthony Coker.
DeSantis said Alligator Alcatraz helped the federal government deport 21,000 people, and the state’s other immigration detention center, Deportation Depot in Baker County, will remain open.
“We’re going to continue the partnership, we understand the mission continues,” he said.
The facility opened July 1, 2025, within days of the start of construction, and was derided by Democrats and critics. It has been the subject of numerous lawsuits on environmental, due process and civil rights grounds that sought to close it down.
Court records show Alligator Alcatraz has cost the state approximately $1 million per day to run and was estimated to cost more than $1 billion for two years of operations.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has overseen the two immigration detention centers, and has used money within the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to pay for their operations.
Since 2022, lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the fund to respond to natural disasters, like Hurricanes Helene and Idalia. As of this week, the state has approximately $25 million left in the fund.
DeSantis defended the price tag for illegal immigration enforcement and said the state will be reimbursed by the federal government. The delay in the reimbursements is due to “bureaucracy,” he said, and Florida got a payment just last week from FEMA for immigration-related costs.
“We’ve got to do whatever it takes to keep people safe, and there’s no question that people are safer as a result of that,” DeSantis said. “We prevented preventable crimes.”
Homan praised DeSantis’ cooperation with the federal government.
“Governor DeSantis was one of the first governors to step up,” Homan said.
All the detainees who were housed at Alligator Alcatraz have been moved to other detention facilities, DeSantis said.
As for the future of the airstrip, DeSantis said it will continue to be used for training flights. But Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a memo to county commissioners she would pursue “permanent protection” for the land used for Alligator Alcatraz.
“Once this facility is decommissioned, we have an opportunity to permanently protect these lands for Everglades restoration and ensure they remain protected for generations to come. That is the legacy we should leave,” Levine Cava said.
–Ana Goñi-Lessan, News Service of Florida
Deborah Coffey says
These are not “detention centers;” they’re Concentration Camps. Let’s please call them what they really are. And, let’s note, too that the majority of those held in these camps are not guilty of crimes. Will America ever survive the lies from this current Trump administration and his lackeys like Ron DeSantis? Yes, it will, but it may take 15 or 20 years for America to regain and practice its values again. The damage done has been vast.
Laurel says
Floridian’s money wasted. DeSantis, and company, knows they f*cked up, and are now shutting down, but still claim they have accomplished what they set out to do.
Hey Homan, where’s that bag of cash? Preventing preventable crimes, right?
Stop embarrassing Florida.
Mike P says
The “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in the Florida Everglades processed and aided in the deportation of approximately 21,000 individuals during its year of operation. Great job! 21,ooo illegals that never should have been here!
Laurel says
“Elon Musk was out of legal status for more than a year when he first started his career in the United States. He worked illegally while launching his startup, Zip2, after arriving in 1995.”
-Search Assist, Forbes,
fox7austin.com
Any questions?
Jim says
You may want to factor in the cost of the site. Current estimates of expenses are $1.2 Billion. That’s a lot of taxpayers money for little return. Florida is not willing to spend even a fraction of that on our prison system despite being well past due.
But DeSantis got his points with Trump so I guess it’s worth it.
Pogo says
Trump would have been a natural resident mayor — oh, well.
FWIW (yooz bidness school accredited, payroll makers, and masters of duh universe shakers get it)
As stated
https://www.bing.com/search?q=unit+cost+of+alligator+alcatraz
Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.
— Yogi Berra
Sherry says
Absolutely. . . ALL o called “detention centers” are actually inhumane fascist “concentration camps”! Those that support ripping families apart, and placing innocent women and children under unlimited “unconstitutional” incarceration in disgusting places without due process are beyond despicable!!!
Vote for our constitution! Vote for Humanity! Vote for Truth, Equal Justice and “The American Way”! Vote Democratic!
chris says
Now that is it closing, when are we getting our money back? Dozy Don just announced that he has made 1.2 billion illegally so lets get our money back from the biggest crook in presidential history ! Make him PAY !
taco tuesday says
Wasted money – in line with TACO mindset of Repub’s – The smoke and mirrors party.