Florida's controversial migrant detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," is being shut down permanently, marking the end of a $1.2 billion project that operated for less than a year. Contractors received orders to begin full demobilization of the facility, according to CBS News Miami, citing multiple sources.
The move comes just weeks before the one-year anniversary of the facility's opening and follows last week's evacuation of all detainees due to safety concerns ahead of hurricane season. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) relocated the migrants to other facilities, citing the need for precautions as Florida braces for potential storms.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) acknowledged the closure, stating that the facility was never intended to be a long-term project. "I think Alligator Alcatraz actually stayed open longer than it was intentionally planned when it was first conceptualized," he told reporters. He added that with the federal government now resourcing its own immigration enforcement, the state-run site is no longer necessary.
The dismantling process is expected to take weeks, as contractors work to remove lighting, fencing, and tenting from the site at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. Florida emergency management officials have instructed contractors to make "significant progress" by Wednesday, according to reports.
The closure follows a series of legal battles and environmental concerns. Environmental groups, represented by attorney Paul Schwiep, have been suing the administrations of President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the facility. Schwiep called the removal of detainees "welcome news," citing the lack of power and a working sewage system at the site. However, he noted that the legal action is not over, as the goal is to ensure the site is restored to its original condition.
The facility, which housed up to 25,000 detainees since its opening, has been costing Florida taxpayers more than $1.2 million per day to operate. The federal government has reimbursed Florida for some of these costs, with the state receiving $58.2 million in May as part of a promised $608 million reimbursement package.
Governor DeSantis has defended the facility, arguing that it improved public safety by detaining criminal migrants who would otherwise be released into Florida communities. He described the site as located "in the middle of nowhere" and "the most secure place you could do this."
The closure of Alligator Alcatraz comes amid broader immigration enforcement efforts. For more on related developments, see our coverage of the ICE evacuation of migrants from the facility ahead of hurricane season.
Meanwhile, the federal government's immigration policies continue to face legal scrutiny. A recent ruling by a federal judge upholding a former Wisconsin judge's conviction for aiding an immigrant to evade ICE highlights ongoing tensions in immigration enforcement.
