State closes Alligator Alcatraz

One year after opening, Alligator Alcatraz — the immigration detention center used by Florida and the federal government to house undocumented immigrants — is shutting down.

“Alligator Alcatraz fulfilled the role that it was designed to serve,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, the site of the tented detention center.

“Today it now has zero detainees. It has helped remove many, many dangerous people from the street and get them out, not only the state of Florida, but the United States of America,” he said.

Standing behind a lectern bearing the words “Florida Leads on Immigration Enforcement,” DeSantis was joined by White House Border Czar Tom Homan and Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Director Anthony Coker.

DeSantis said Alligator Alcatraz helped the federal government deport 21,000 people and noted that the state’s other immigration detention center, Deportation Depot in Baker County, will remain open.

“We’re going to continue the partnership, we understand the mission continues,” he said.

The facility opened July 1, 2025, just days after construction began. It drew criticism from Democrats and other opponents and became the subject of multiple lawsuits alleging environmental, due process and civil rights violations.

Court records show Alligator Alcatraz cost the state about $1 million per day to operate and was projected to cost more than $1 billion over two years.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management oversaw operations at both immigration detention centers and used money from the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to cover expenses.

Since 2022, lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the fund to respond to emergencies, including hurricanes such as Helene and Idalia. As of this week, about $25 million remains in the fund.

DeSantis defended the cost of the state’s immigration enforcement efforts, saying Florida will be reimbursed by the federal government. He attributed delays in reimbursement to “bureaucracy” and said the state received a FEMA payment for immigration-related costs last week.

“We’ve got to do whatever it takes to keep people safe, and there’s no question that people are safer as a result of that,” DeSantis said. “We prevented preventable crimes.”

Homan praised DeSantis for working closely with federal officials on immigration enforcement.

“Governor DeSantis was one of the first governors to step up,” Homan said.

DeSantis said all detainees formerly housed at Alligator Alcatraz have been transferred to other detention facilities.

As for the future of the airstrip, DeSantis said it will continue to be used for training flights.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, however, said in a memo to county commissioners that she intends to pursue permanent protection of the property.

“Once this facility is decommissioned, we have an opportunity to permanently protect these lands for Everglades restoration and ensure they remain protected for generations to come. That is the legacy we should leave,” Levine Cava said.