Crews have begun dismantling the Florida Everglades immigration detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz, marking a significant step toward closing the facility nearly a year after it opened. State officials informed vendors on Monday to start removing tents, fences, trailers, and other infrastructure, with substantial progress expected by Wednesday, according to multiple sources familiar with the directive.
The facility, operated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, opened less than a year ago amid strong public support from then-President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis. It was notable as the first state-run site to hold federal immigration detainees. However, its operation has been fraught with controversy, including allegations of unsanitary and inhumane conditions and legal challenges related to its construction in sensitive wetlands.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that all detainees had been transferred out of the remote center, citing safety concerns ahead of the hurricane season. “For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities,” DHS said in a statement. This came as a reversal from last year when thousands of detainees remained at the facility through most of the hurricane season, which runs from June to November.
Despite the announcement, Florida emergency management chief Kevin Guthrie asserted last Friday that the center remained operational and ready to receive detainees, indicating no formal shutdown at that time. On Monday, attempts to obtain comment from the Florida Division of Emergency Management were unsuccessful.
The closure discussions follow months of inconsistent messaging from state and federal officials. Governor DeSantis has indicated that Homeland Security, now under Secretary Markwayne Mullin, is reassessing detention needs. Reports suggest the federal government plans to divest most of the 11 warehouses it acquired for immigrant detention, including Alligator Alcatraz.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who played a key role in opening the center, said Monday he could not confirm the closure but acknowledged the declining detainee numbers. “Alligator Alcatraz actually stayed open longer than it was intentionally planned,” Uthmeier said. “It was never expected to be a long-term thing.”
The facility’s high operating costs—exceeding $1 million daily—have also drawn criticism. Federal reimbursements pledged at over $600 million have fallen far short of covering expenses. New state budget rules set to take effect July 1 will restrict the use of emergency funds previously allocated for the center.
Critics, including former state senator Jeff Brandes, have labeled the operation an "expensive failure," citing its heavy costs and political controversy. Environmental groups have filed lawsuits against the state and federal government over the center’s placement in protected wetlands, pledging to continue legal action despite the detainee transfer.
Paul J. Schwiep, a lawyer representing environmental advocates, described the center as a “secret Gulag in the Everglades” and expressed concern that officials might dismantle the site without transparency or plans for remediation.
As dismantling proceeds, questions remain about the facility’s future and Florida’s role in federal immigration enforcement.