A federal watchdog has found that Florida's now-closed Alligator Alcatraz detention centre carried a bed rate of $249 (£187.24) per detainee per day, about 171 per cent higher than Immigration and Customs Enforcement's median rate of $92 (£69.18) in fiscal year 2026.
The Government Accountability Office said ICE did not instruct Florida to open the Florida Soft-Sided Facility and did not enter into a contract or agreement authorising its operation as a federal immigration detention centre. The facility was managed by Florida's Division of Emergency Management and contractors, while the federal government reimbursed the state through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant programme.
ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds https://t.co/2I1ow9loOc
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) September 30, 2026
The findings prompted a blunt response from Stephanie Hartman, communications director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
'Nobody takes the GAO seriously,' Hartman said, while arguing that illegal immigration costs American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
What the GAO Found
The report, published on 24 September, examined ICE's broader expansion of detention capacity since January 2025. GAO said the agency pursued six initiatives without necessary analysis and planning, creating potential for waste and higher costs.
The Florida facility opened in July 2025 at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee. ICE relied on it as an integral part of its Florida operations, but GAO said the agency had no contract or agreement authorising its use as a federal immigration detention facility.
ICE officials cited an existing agreement with Miami-Dade County under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as the legal basis for obtaining detention space. GAO said the agreement did not reference the Florida facility or indicate that ICE had approved Florida to use it for federal immigration detention.
ICE normally negotiates detention costs before entering into contracts or agreements. In this case, GAO said ICE did not follow its normal process, meaning it did not negotiate the facility's costs.
Federal Funding Covered Florida's Costs
ICE did not directly fund the Florida Soft-Sided Facility. Instead, FEMA reimbursed Florida through the Detention Support Grant Programme, developed with ICE to expand federal immigration detention capacity.
FEMA awarded Florida $608.4 million (£457.51 million) on 30 September 2025. GAO said approximately $58.2 million had been disbursed by May 2026 for allowable operating costs, including staffing, supplies, meals and detainee services.
The facility closed in June 2026 after operating for about a year. Florida can still request reimbursement for eligible costs incurred through 31 July 2027, according to GAO.
Inspector General Finding Detention Problems
The funding findings came alongside a separate DHS Office of Inspector General inspection released on 11 September. The inspector general found that the facility did not comply with several detention standards, including requirements concerning living space, recreation, medical care, food service and personal hygiene.
Inspectors found that housing units provided about 28 square feet per detainee at maximum capacity, compared with 75 square feet required under the Florida Model Jail Standards cited in the report. Detainees also told inspectors they lacked access to clean drinking water and could not properly clean their cups.
The inspection was conducted in January 2026 and was limited in scope.
Florida Defends the Facility
Governor Ron DeSantis defended the centre, saying officials had taken steps to exceed federal requirements because they expected accusations of mistreatment.
'When [Alligator Alcatraz] was set up, they did all this stuff to exceed the federal guidelines that, quite frankly, I thought was excessive,' DeSantis said.
A DHS spokesperson said the department was focused on using existing detention space with state and county partners.
GAO did not conclude that the Florida facility was illegal or that its spending was fraudulent. Its finding was narrower: ICE did not follow its normal process for negotiating and authorising detention space, while the resulting $249 bed rate was substantially above its median rate.
GAO recommended that ICE develop a comprehensive strategic plan for detention expansion, including its goals, activities and resource needs. DHS agreed, but ICE does not expect to complete the plan until 31 August 2027.
