DeSantis Closes Controversial Alligator Alcatraz Immigration Center

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the closure of the controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center in the Everglades on Thursday. The facility, which opened in July 2025 and was criticized for inhumane conditions, has processed over 21,000 deportations, according to DeSantis.

The governor stated that the center was always meant to be temporary until more permanent detention centers could be secured. The closure comes after officials announced a temporary shutdown earlier in June due to hurricane season safety concerns. Detainees have been relocated to other facilities across South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas.

Immigration advocates and environmental groups have raised serious concerns about the facility's conditions and its impact on the Everglades wetlands. Reports from detainees describe poor physical conditions, including worms in food, unflushed toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, mosquitoes, and other insects. The air conditioning could shut off abruptly in the sweltering Florida heat, and detainees often went days without showering or receiving prescription medicine.

Environmental groups have sued over the detention center, alleging that Florida officials never obtained proper permits or conducted required reviews on its environmental impact. Paul J. Schwiep, an attorney for Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, stated that the administration will be held responsible for any environmental damage caused by the facility.

Despite the closure, DeSantis emphasized Florida's continued role in immigration enforcement through other detention centers. White House border czar Tom Homan praised DeSantis' efforts, stating that the governor would continue to help make the country safer. The Everglades airstrip where the facility was built will continue to be used.

During a press conference on Thursday, DeSantis celebrated the facility's role in supporting Trump's immigration policy and facilitating nearly 21,000 deportations. He asserted that the center had made Florida and the country safer by detaining individuals who would otherwise have been released into society. The temporary facility was built at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport compound to expand capacity for Trump's nationwide immigration enforcement surge.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava welcomed the closure, stating that the facility should never have been built. She announced her administration's intent to purchase the land and transfer it to the National Park Service and other Everglades restoration authorities. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida also celebrated the closure but warned that systemic failures to uphold constitutional rights persisted.