Alligator Alcatraz, the controversial immigration detention center located in the middle of the Florida Everglades, could close soon due to high overhead costs, according to a new report.
The Trump administration has reportedly been in discussions with Florida officials about closing the facility that costs Governor Ron DeSantis more than $1 million a day to run, the New York Times reported Thursday.
More than 1,300 detainees, all of whom are men, are held at the facility that Trump once said would hold “the most vicious people on the planet.” However, DHS classifies most of the detainees as non-criminals, according to official data.
The detention center has alarmed environmentalists concerned about its impact on the Everglades and outraged immigration advocates who say detainees are being treated inhumanely and living in nightmarish conditions.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security denied it was “pressuring the state to cease operations at Alligator Alcatraz” and that “Florida continues to be a valuable partner in advancing President Trump’s immigration agenda, and DHS appreciates their support.”
“DHS continuously evaluates detention needs and requirements to ensure they meet the latest operational requirements,” the spokesperson told The Independent.
DeSantis and Trump have both touted Alligator Alcatraz as a successful detention facility.
The Florida facility became the first state-run detention center last year when officials opened it to help ease the pressure on other detention holding facilities amid Trump’s crackdown on immigration. The Florida Division of Emergency Management manages Alligator Alcatraz.
The remote location of the facility, combined with its nickname, earned it a notorious reputation that the president used as a press opportunity last July to promote his deportation agenda.
However, less than a year later, DHS officials have considered the expensive facility ineffective, those familiar with the discussions told the New York Times.
The federal government is supposed to repay Florida for operating the center on its behalf, but has reportedly yet to receive the $608 million reimbursement it requested, according to the New York Times.
“Regarding reimbursement, DHS reviews reimbursement requests for grant funding to ensure costs are allowable and validated expenses that are eligible for reimbursement prior to releasing funding,” a DHS spokesperson said.
In addition to operational costs, officials have had to fight court battles to keep the facility open. Environmental groups sued last year, seeking to temporarily close down the facility while conducting environmental reviews.
While a lower court federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, an appeals court overturned the preliminary injunction.
In a statement Thursday, Eve Samples, the executive director of Friends of the Everglades, a group that sued the administration for Alligator Alcatraz, welcomed a potential closure of the facility
“This dark chapter in Everglades history can’t end soon enough. Until then, we’re not taking our foot off the gas — we’re headed back to federal district court with more strong claims to bring. The only acceptable remedy is shutting down Alligator Alcatraz and full remediation of the harm inflicted,” Sample said.
The Independent has asked the Florida Division of Emergency Management for comment.
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