The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, announced this Thursday the permanent closure of Alligator Alcatraz, the controversial immigration detention center located in the Everglades, west of Miami, after processing nearly 21,000 deportations since its opening less than a year ago.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the site itself, alongside the so-called "Border Czar" of the White House, Tom Homan.
"Today, there are zero detainees. It has helped remove many dangerous individuals from the streets and take them not only out of the state of Florida but also out of the United States of America. The detainees who were here remain in federal custody. The demobilization efforts in these facilities are underway," DeSantis declared.
The governor stated that the detention operations in Florida contributed to nearly 30,000 additional deportations, and that the state accounts for more than 40% of all state and local immigration arrests nationwide.
DeSantis also emphasized that the closure does not signify the end of Florida's collaboration with federal authorities: “Our 287G agreements remain in effect. Our facility in Baker County is still operational, and the mission continues.”
The center, officially named South Florida Detention Facility, was inaugurated on July 1, 2025 by Trump and DeSantis at the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition airport in Ochopee, built in just eight days using state emergency powers and with a capacity for up to 5,000 detainees.
Its operating cost exceeded 1.2 million dollars per day, accumulating a total expenditure that surpasses 1,200 million dollars. Florida requested a federal reimbursement of 608 million, but only received a partial payment of 58 million on June 1, 2026; the remainder was blocked by legal challenges.
The closure process was formally initiated on June 22, when Kevin Guthrie, director of Emergency Management for Florida, informed the providers of the total demobilization order.
On June 17, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had already transferred all detainees to other facilities in Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas, citing caution due to the hurricane season.
During its operation, the center amassed serious complaints. Amnesty International documented in December 2025 overcrowding of between 27 and 32 people per cage, overflowing bathrooms, non-potable water, continuous lighting, and delays of up to 72 hours to receive medical attention.
On April 2, 2026, guards used pepper spray against detainees who were protesting due to lack of access to phones. Furthermore, nearly 60% of the detainees were classified by ICE as individuals with no prior criminal convictions, contradicting the original justification for the project.
The Cuban community was one of the most affected groups: according to a Human Rights Watch report from May 2026, between January 2025 and March 2026, 4,353 Cubans were deported to Mexico, making them the largest national group among those expelled to that country.
Homan thanked Florida for its cooperation and reiterated that the Trump administration's immigration agenda will continue with strict enforcement of the laws. The Alligator Alcatraz site is set to reopen as a small pilot training airport.
DeSantis concluded his statement with a strong assertion: "I have no doubt that this saved lives."
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