Migrant detention center known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ expected to close soon, sources say

The Florida immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” is expected to close soon, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation. 

Sources caution the plan could change, as the final details are still being worked out. 

In a statement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson did not deny that the facility was closing. 

“Any reports that DHS is pressuring the state to cease operations at Alligator Alcatraz are false,” the spokesperson said. “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 facility, located at a training airport in Florida, first received detainees last July as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown, but the detention center has been plagued by lawsuits and concerns from lawmakers and immigrant advocates regarding conditions at the facility. Just earlier this week, a federal judge denied the administration’s request to pause an order that requires the government to provide detainees access to counsel, among other resources.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, asked at a press availability Wednesday to address reports about the closure of the facility, said he has “not gotten any official word that they’re not going to be sending illegal aliens there,” and reiterated that the facility was always meant to be temporary.

“It was always intended to be temporary, because we were only doing it because the federal government didn’t have the resources to hold these people themselves,” DeSantis said. “Now [the federal government has] gotten a lot of money, over the last nine months, they’ve been able to work and adjust their operations accordingly, and ideally, I wouldn’t want to be involved in this business at all.”