Records Detail $1.49 Billion Ask for Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as FEMA Keeps Most Funds On Hold

Overview

• Thousands of pages of court-ordered records show Florida sought $1.49 billion for the Everglades detention complex, locked in large vendor deals including a now-reduced projection of up to $645 million for Doodie Calls, and incurred daily costs above $1.2 million with early peaks over $3 million.
• FEMA approved a $608.4 million award on Sept. 30, 2025, but has withheld most of the money pending an Environmental and Historic Preservation review, denying a $30 million request on Dec. 10; the state has received about $90 million to date.
• Documents show FEMA later amended the grant to exclude reimbursements for construction or modifications, and a recent DOJ filing says federal aid would be limited to per‑detainee operations, heightening Florida’s fiscal exposure.
• In a Feb. 24 filing, Attorney General James Uthmeier acknowledged the state took the risk that federal funding may not materialize, contrasting with public assurances last fall that Washington would cover the costs.
• Emails indicate DEM and FEMA staff co-drafted the grant language starting in June 2025 and Florida applied on Aug. 7, while ongoing NEPA litigation over the site’s environmental review continues after an appeals panel stayed a lower court’s wind‑down order.