Newsdata · Florida Government

See you later, Alligator Alcatraz? Detention facility gets big news

The controversial immigration detention facility known colloquially as "Alligator Alcatraz" has reportedly received some news about its future. The facility is shutting down permanently, according to sources that confirmed vendors have been told to demobilize. 'Clearly from a security perspective, if someone escapes, there’s a lot of alligators you’re going to have to contend [with].' Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hinted in recent months that the facility might be shut down when he said it has already served its purpose by cycling about 22,000 migrants. CBS News reported that four sources confirmed the facility vendors were told that the "demobilization" clause in their contracts had been triggered, meaning they would be paid for shutting down. "All vendors got the notice," said one source. The facility has been plagued by legal challenges that prevented federal funding from reimbursing Florida for the reported $1.2 billion price tag that ballooned from the initial $450 million annual estimate. On Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis said that all of the detainees at the facility had been moved to other locations, but she claimed it was a response to hurricane season. The facility opened up in July 2025 on an 11,000 foot abandoned airport runway in the Florida Everglades. Critics have claimed the facility puts migrants in dangerous and cruel conditions including lack of bathroom facilities, rotten food, and little to no access to the outside world, including their immigration attorneys. "The state and federal government must permanently close this facility and commit to never detaining people there again," said Amy Godshall of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has sued the facility. WFOR-TV reported in its news video that there was no sign yet that the facility was being dismantled. RELATED: Dem. congressman claims he forced ICE to back off from arresting man outside courtroom The facility was designed to hold about 3,000 detainees to ease the housing burden on immigration officials. "Clearly from a security perspective, if someone escapes, there’s a lot of alligators you’re going to have to contend [with]," DeSantis said about the facility in July 2025. "No one is going anywhere once you do that. It’s as safe and secure as you can be." He also stressed at the time that the facility was temporary. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here !