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Florida’s 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Camp Closed as State Begins Demobilization

Officials say hurricane‑season risk drove the removal of detainees and that federal capacity now handles cases.

Overview

  • Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed Thursday that the Everglades site holds no inmates and that Florida has begun dismantling the temporary camp.
  • State officials say roughly 21,000 to 22,000 people were processed or deported through the facility while some reports count more than 30,000 who passed through the site.
  • Authorities relocated remaining detainees to other federal facilities and ordered contractors to withdraw before a mid‑July deadline as part of a formal demobilization.
  • Former detainees and rights groups reported unsanitary and dangerous conditions including worms in food, non‑functioning toilets, infestations and restricted lawyer access while officials denied those claims.
  • Environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe continue legal challenges demanding full dismantling and ecological restoration after critics highlighted rushed construction on the Dade‑Collier airfield and costs that estimates say topped $1 billion.