Overview
- Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that Alligator Alcatraz has zero detainees, vendors have begun demobilization, and tents and operations are expected to be dismantled in about one to two weeks.
- The temporary Everglades facility opened in July 2025 and state officials say it processed or staged roughly 20,000–22,000 people, with remaining detainees moved earlier in June for hurricane‑season safety.
- Florida says the project cost more than $1 billion; the federal government approved roughly $608 million for operations but has sent about $58 million so far, leaving vendors and cleanup bills unpaid.
- The site drew sustained legal and humanitarian challenges, including ACLU and human‑rights complaints about access to counsel and reports of unsanitary conditions, and environmental and tribal suits alleging Everglades harm.
- Operational fallout will include vendor claims, an estimated multimillion‑dollar remediation bill and disputes over the airstrip’s future use while Baker County detention operations and state‑federal enforcement partnerships continue.