Alligator Alcatraz is closing after being in operation for just one year, the governor confirmed this week.
The immigration detention center located in the Everglades began accepting detainees in July of 2025 after an eight-day construction process. It aided in close to 30,000 additional deportations, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Florida led the way in increasing much-needed detention capacity and working with our federal partners to streamline deportations, removing thousands of the most dangerous criminal aliens from our country,” DeSantis said. “Alligator Alcatraz has fulfilled this mission. Detainees who are still awaiting deportation have been transferred to other federal facilities, and demobilization efforts are underway. Along with our partners in the Trump Administration, we will continue the mission to make our communities safer by deporting illegal aliens and ensuring that our nation’s immigration laws are enforced.”
DeSantis is known for taking a strong stance against illegal immigration. Florida accounts for more than 40% of all state arrests across the U.S., according to the governor’s office.
Alligator Alcatraz was riddled in controversy from the beginning, being launched at a time when Immigrations and Customs Enforcement actions came under a public microscope. It didn’t help that the detention center was located at an airfield surrounded by Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.
Nonprofit Friends of the Everglades was staunchly opposed to the temporary detention center and, despite its closure, says their fight is far from over.
“‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will go down as one of the biggest failures in American history. Our government failed to protect the Everglades and failed to follow basic environmental laws, while racking up a $1B tab paid by taxpayers,” said Friends of the Everglades Director Eve Samples.
Originally, state leaders expected construction costs for Alligator Alcatraz to be reimbursed by the federal government, but later court filings pointed to Florida footing the bill and federal funding only being available for operational costs.
Earlier this month, ICE indicated it was transferring detainees from Alligator Alcatraz to other facilities due to hurricane season.
“Let me be crystal clear,” Florida’s Democratic Chairwoman Nikki Fried wrote on X, “DeSantis has egg on his face. He built a detention camp, gave out no bid contracts to his Republican friends, promised we would be reimbursed, built on treasured Everglades land, violated human rights and waste 1 BILLION of taxpayer dollars. Corruption!”
DeSantis’ office said Florida will continue to support the Trump Administration’s agenda to secure the border, detain illegal aliens, and aid deportation operations.
