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Florida Reportedly Plans to Close Everglades Migrant Detention Site 'Alligator Alcatraz'

The reported shift signals a retreat from a costly remote site that drew legal and humanitarian criticism.

Overview

  • The New York Times reported that Florida plans to shut the Everglades detention site and told vendors detainees would move by early June.
  • The report said the $250 million facility would be dismantled in the weeks after the transfers, according to people familiar with operations.
  • DHS said it is not pressuring Florida to cease operations and stated it is evaluating detention needs to meet current requirements.
  • Florida has not issued a formal announcement, and Governor Ron DeSantis’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
  • ICE data show the site held about 1,400 people on average from October 2025 to early April, as advocates alleged 24-hour lighting, denied medicine, and distance that made meeting lawyers hard.